Tens of thousands protest illegal waste imports in Croatia

Tens of thousands of Croatians filled Zagreb to protest an illegal landfill that activists say is contaminating groundwater near Gospić with toxic waste imported from abroad. Demonstrators accused Prime Minister Andrej Plenković’s center-right government of failing to act.

The protesters came from across Croatia. Their demands include the cleanup of all illegal landfills, a temporary nationwide ban on waste imports and a new waste-management plan. Many signs focused on the landfill near Gospić, about 25 kilometers inland from the Dalmatian Adriatic coast, roughly midway between Rijeka and Split.

The issue has been building for months. On February 13, 2025, Croatia’s state prosecutor ordered the arrest of 13 people in connection with the landfill, with support from Europol. The investigation remains ongoing.

Europol said most of the waste had entered Croatia illegally through several companies from Italy, with additional shipments from Slovenia and Germany. The material included plastic waste and toxic hospital waste. Investigators said the suspects made at least 4 million euros from the operation.

According to Europol, at least 35,000 tons of hazardous waste were illegally distributed across at least three Croatian landfills. Croatian environmental activists say the Gospić site alone holds 37,000 tons. Europol also said suspects apparently falsified documents, including freight papers, to evade Croatian environmental rules by falsely labeling dangerous plastic waste as suitable for recycling.