Thousands of Croatians protest illegal toxic dumping near nature park

Tens of thousands of people marched through central Zagreb to demand accountability for the illegal dumping of up to 45,000 tonnes of waste in Croatia. The waste was imported and buried between 2022 and 2025 near the municipality of Gospić, about 200 kilometres south of the capital.

The dump lies roughly 50 kilometres from Plitvice Lakes National Park, in the Lika region. An investigation found that the material came illegally from neighbouring Slovenia and Italy. It was brought into Croatia under documents describing it as recyclable raw material, but later analysis identified compacted and shredded plastic, electronic waste and medical waste.

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Lika will never forget your betrayal.

The waste was handled by Tipos Resurs, whose waste-management licence had been cancelled and later reinstated under unclear circumstances, local media reported. A police operation supported by Europol arrested 13 people in February 2025, including the company’s owner, on suspicion of illegal dumping.

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Croatia’s lungs are struggling to breathe.

The buried material remains in place and has contaminated soil and groundwater. A full cleanup is estimated to cost more than 100 million euros. Protesters carried signs reading “Lika will never forget your betrayal” and “Croatia’s lungs are struggling to breathe.”

A woman who lives 50 metres from the dump said she feared falling ill and urged the authorities to act. “You will not take away our right, or our children’s right, to life. You will not turn Croatia into Europe’s toxic dump,” she said. Demonstrators called on the conservative government to present a complete environmental recovery plan within three weeks, strengthen protections for affected communities, address waste-management problems and impose a moratorium on the imports.

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You will not take away our right, or our children’s right, to life. You will not turn Croatia into Europe’s toxic dump.