Croatia faces protests over toxic waste disposal in Lika region

Croatia's environmental ministry has received two bids for the removal of about 4,500 tons of hazardous waste from the Lika region, a small but significant step following weeks of public pressure and a parliamentary session. This comes just ten days before a major protest is scheduled in Zagreb concerning the waste crisis.

Two additional bids were submitted for the removal of approximately 650 tons of waste contained in "Big bag" sacks. The Minister of Environmental Protection, Marija Vučković, announced that bids for temporarily covering the waste would be opened on August 28. This measure aims to prevent rainwater from penetrating the waste and reduce the generation of leachate.

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The task of the Ministry is to remediate the location and restore it completely. We promised that despite all obstacles and all the noise.

However, concerns remain about the scope of the cleanup. Mihael Zmajlović, a former environment minister, noted that these bids cover only about 11% of the total illegally dumped waste. He highlighted the lack of a clear plan, timeline, or technology for remediating the remaining 40,000 tons of waste buried in the karst terrain, above water sources.

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For the remaining 40,000 tons of waste, buried in the ground, above water and aquifers, in karst terrain, there is still not a single document showing how it is planned to be remediated. There is no plan, no deadline, no technology by which the remediation will be carried out.

Zmajlović also criticized the submitted bids, with one nearly double the planned value at around 8.8 million euros. He described the situation as a reflection of a state that has lost control over its own projects, where the market dictates terms due to the absence of a plan. The opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP) has given the government seven days to release a remediation program, threatening legal action under the Environmental Protection Act if they fail to do so.

The developments unfold as a large protest is expected in Zagreb on September 5. The protest, gaining significant public support, could become a major embarrassment for the ruling party, which has been accused of attempting to shift public focus to other topics, such as a conflict with Serbia.

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This is the image of a state that has lost control over its own project. When you don't have a plan, the market dictates both the price and the conditions.