Fires and attacks on firefighters prompt Croatia town to cut aid to Roma settlement residents

The Roma settlement of Sitnice in Mursko Središće, Croatia, has been plagued by four fires in just one week, placing immense pressure on local firefighters. The situation escalated during one intervention when firefighters faced an assault, with a female firefighter being struck in the head by a stone. This series of events and the perceived irresponsible behavior of some residents have led city officials to declare a zero-tolerance policy.

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We have decided that violators of communal order, but from the entire area of the City, will no longer be able to receive any benefits from the city budget.

Dražen Srpak, the mayor of Mursko Središće, announced a stricter approach, stating that individuals violating communal order will no longer be eligible for any benefits from the city budget. Instead, they will face penalties. This includes residents of Sitnice and others across the city who will now bear the full cost of waste disposal. The mayor emphasized that warnings are over and that offenders will be punished.

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Then they will be exclusively punished, not warned, and further, the residents of Sitnice, as well as all others, will pay the full price for waste disposal.

Some residents of Sitnice have condemned the waste burning, calling for sanctions against those responsible. "Whoever is burning, there is a sanction, let everyone answer for their actions," commented one resident. Another highlighted the collective suffering caused by the actions of a few: "Now because of them, we are all suffering." The smoke from the burning waste also poses a health hazard, particularly for residents with pre-existing conditions like Anđela Bogdan, who requires oxygen therapy and finds the fumes exacerbating her health issues.

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The one who burns, there is a sanction, let everyone answer for their actions.

The attack on the firefighter has particularly angered community leaders. Milorad Mihanović, president of the Sitnice Local Board, expressed outrage, stating that the perpetrator's identity is known and urging authorities to take action. Many firefighters from Mursko Središće are currently assisting colleagues in southern Croatia, dealing with widespread wildfires, adding to the concern that the situation in Sitnice remains calm until their return.

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Now because of them, we are all suffering.