Croatian Parliament Debates Hazardous Waste Scandal

Lawmakers in the Croatian Parliament reconvened for an extraordinary two-day session to address the dangerous waste illegally dumped in the Gospić and Ličko-senjsko region. The session, called at the request of President Zoran Milanović, follows a nearly 18-hour debate on the issue the previous day.

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We are not running away from the fact that the problem exists, but it should be clear that the institutions of the rule of law are working, people have been arrested. Public procurement procedures were a bit delayed, but they are being carried out, they were only delayed because no one responded to the first tender. So, the state has been solving the problem for more than a year.

Opposition members accused the government of enabling the illegal dumping, while ruling party representatives defended their actions, asserting that the problem is being managed and that panic should not be spread. The current session is scheduled to hear positions from parliamentary clubs before a vote on conclusions proposed by President Milanović. These proposals include urgent landfill remediation and enhanced oversight of waste disposal.

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How hypocritical is it that Siniša Hajdaš Dončić is here accusing someone of illegal waste disposal, while at the same time he was one of the biggest sponsors of illegal waste disposal in Lika. Back then, he didn't care about the people of Lika, he didn't call press conferences, he didn't speak out publicly. So where is his honor, where is his shame, he has none! How is he not ashamed to be so hypocritical.

Mato Franković, a representative for the HDZ party and the mayor of Dubrovnik, sharply criticized SDP leader Siniša Hajdaš Dončić. Franković accused Dončić of hypocrisy, claiming he only recently focused on the hazardous waste issue after seeing unfavorable poll results. Franković stated that while the HDZ acknowledges the problem, its resolution must be left to competent institutions, noting that individuals have been arrested and public procurement processes are underway, albeit delayed. He further alleged that HDZ began cleaning up "Dončić's waste" in 2019, implying Dončić profited from the situation.

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Only when HDZ took responsibility did it start cleaning up Mr. Dončić's waste in 2019. It should be clearly stated that HDZ cleaned up Dončić's waste, waste on which Dončić made money. Where was the concern for Lika then. He talks about waste, so where is his honor?