Tens of thousands protest illegal waste dumping in Gospić

Tens of thousands of people filled central Zagreb on a protest organized under the slogan “March for Lika, March for Croatia,” after a scandal involving tens of thousands of tonnes of waste illegally dumped around Gospić.

The rally, organized by the civic initiative Gospić je naš dom, began around midday in Ban Josip Jelačić Square. Protesters sang patriotic songs and chanted “HDZ, go away” and “Gospić, Gospić,” according to Croatian media reports. People arriving by vans, cars and buses also filled side streets leading into the capital’s centre.

The initiative sent the government a list of demands before the protest. It called for a comprehensive remediation programme with binding deadlines to be presented within 20 days. It also demanded the urgent removal of 33,000 tonnes of buried waste within three months.

Politicians were among those attending, with many saying they too belonged at the protest, according to the Croatian news agency Hina. The Environment and Green Transition Ministry said Croatia does not allow unlimited imports of all types of waste and rejected claims that hazardous waste can be freely imported.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tomo Medved said the government fully understood the situation in Gospić. He said the authorities were addressing the waste site lawfully, systematically, responsibly and transparently.