Volkswacht Bodensee - Tens of thousands of Croatians protest over hazardous waste

Some 35,000 tonnes of waste, including electronic and medical, were found in early 2025 in the Lika region, known for pristine forests and rivers and home to national parks and the country's longest mountain range.

Authorities have been investigating 10 people and four companies over the dumping. They are suspected of importing waste from Slovenia, Italy and Germany and illegally dumping or burying it alongside medical waste from Croatia in Gospic, in the pristine region.

In August, the prosecutors published a report confirming soil contamination in Gospic, adding that the waste, which had spread beyond the dumping site, presented a "significant risk for the environment and people's health", though the drinking water in Gospic remained safe, according to health authorities.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of central Zagreb in a march dubbed "Walk for Lika, Walk for Croatia", that was backed by President Zoran Milanovic, the opposition, and numerous public figures and non-government organisations.

"I want a beautiful, clean and healthy Croatia for my children, that they can drink water from any tap in this country," Katarina Kenda, who joined the march with her three children, told AFP.

"This is a very serious incident and it must be stopped now, before the whole of Croatia ends up buried in waste."

"Ecocide equals slow genocide" and "Halt waste import", read some of the banners carried by the protesters, many of whom waved Croatian flags.

Organisers demanded from the authorities to present a concrete cleanup plan within the next 20 days, to remove the waste within the next three months, and to hold accountable those responsible.

Conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said earlier this month that the site would be covered by mid-October and the removal would follow.

ljv/yad

K.Hofmann--VB