Strategic Positioning of the Republic of Serbia in Relation to the Increasing Complexity of Geopolitics with Respect to Economic Development

As major world powers contend to exert influence over the rest of the world, many have begun to speculate that a new cold war is dawning. The United States of America has joined forces to combat against the power and influence of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. This battle can be seen across Europe but has come to a head in the Republic of Serbia. Each of these nations engage in copious amounts of foreign direct investment and diplomatic relation with Serbia, and each of them seeks to control the resources and political policy of the country. This thesis examines how the Republic of Serbia maintains neutrality balances the competing needs and desires of foreign nations and foreign owned companies engaging in foreign direct investment within its borders. Analyzes the potential benefits and hazards that result from of these countries and multinational corporations and businesses can bring to Serbia and its citizens. Chronicles the impact of the Rio Tinto mining controversy and the effects of lithium mining and how this encapsulates the precarious situation that Serbia finds itself in.