PHOTOS: Images from Zagreb spread worldwide as major agencies cover clean Croatia protest

Images from a major protest for a cleaner Croatia in Zagreb drew international attention as tens of thousands of people demanded action over hazardous waste dumped illegally near Gospić and at other sites across the country.

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I want a beautiful, clean and healthy Croatia for my children, where they can drink water from any tap in the country.

The demonstration, called “Walk for Lika, Walk for Croatia,” brought people into the city center from across Croatia. President Zoran Milanović, public figures and nongovernmental organizations supported the protest. Organizers demanded that the authorities present a concrete cleanup plan within 20 days, remove the waste within three months and bring those responsible to justice.

AFP reported that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković had promised earlier this month that the site would be covered by mid-October, followed by waste removal. Reuters said Croatian authorities discovered between 34,000 and 37,000 tonnes of waste at a site near Gospić last year. Much of it had been imported from Italy in 2023 and 2024. The government has pledged to clean the site, but environmental groups say little progress has been made.

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

The agency also reported that Plenković visited Gospić on Wednesday and said the government had chosen a contractor for the first phase, which involves removing waste from the site. Protesters carried signs reading “The lungs of Croatia can no longer breathe,” “Stop destroying Croatia” and “Nature does not forgive.”

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We are dissatisfied with the government’s response. The site should have been cleaned long ago.

Katarina Kenda, who attended with her three children, told AFP she wanted “a beautiful, clean and healthy Croatia for my children, where they can drink water from any tap in the country.” Verica Jurnjak, who traveled to Zagreb from Gospić, said the site should have been cleaned long ago. Actor Rade Šerbedžija also attended, telling Reuters: “What happened is a disgrace and someone must be held accountable.” Dpa recalled that Croatian prosecutors arrested 13 people in February 2025 in connection with the illegal dump, with Europol support, and that investigations have continued since then.

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What happened is a disgrace and someone must be held accountable.