USKOK publishes groundwater analysis from Gospić

Croatia’s anti-corruption office USKOK has published a report on microplastics in groundwater samples from Gospić as part of a criminal investigation into suspected illegal waste handling.

USKOK said it was allowing public access to two documents because of strong public interest. The investigation covers suspected illegal waste disposal in the areas of Varaždin, Gospić and Benkovac.

One document is an expert assessment of environmental protection at the site of the former Florijan Bobić industrial complex in Varaždin. The Geotechnical Faculty of the University of Zagreb prepared it at USKOK’s request.

The second is a report on the physical and chemical analysis of microplastics in groundwater samples from a Gospić site. The Josip Juraj Strossmayer Institute for Water prepared that report, also at the request of USKOK.

The criminal proceedings remain non-public. USKOK said the wider case involves several defendants suspected of acting as part of a criminal organization and committing multiple offenses against the environment and the economy.