Croatian Protest Organizers Demand Immediate Ban on Waste Imports

The organizers of a planned Zagreb protest are demanding that Croatia immediately halt waste imports and address sites they describe as environmental “black spots.” The civic initiative “Gospić Is Our Home” issued its demands before Saturday’s “Walk for Lika, Walk for Croatia” demonstration.

“

We invite everyone to behave with dignity and pride. This is a moment of unity.

The initiative wants the government to present a complete remediation program within 20 days, with binding deadlines. It also called for the removal of 33,000 tonnes of buried waste within three months and asked officials to include the Rakitovac municipal landfill in the national waste management plan.

The organizers are seeking long-term, comprehensive monitoring involving independent experts. Those experts would prepare a monitoring plan and conduct an independent risk assessment. At the national level, the initiative wants collective protection added to Croatia’s Environmental Protection Act, all known environmental “black spots” included in the waste management plan, and clear deadlines and financial frameworks for dealing with them.

“

live 50 meters from the Silos

The protest program at Ban Jelačić Square will begin with accounts of what it means to “live 50 meters from the Silos.” Representatives of “Gospić Is Our Home,” “Sisak Residents Do Not Want to Be Garbage Collectors” and other associations are scheduled to speak. Organizers urged participants to behave with dignity and pride, saying, “This is a moment of unity.” They also said, “Let us protect one another, as we want our country to be protected.”

“

Let us protect one another, as we want our country to be protected.