Why are Croatia’s war veterans silent ahead of Zagreb’s mass protest?

Croatian citizens are preparing to march for the removal of hazardous waste, but the country’s war veterans have yet to say where they stand. The civic initiative “Gospić Is Our Home” is organizing the nationwide protest “Walk for Lika, Walk for Croatia” over illegal dumping in Gospić and other parts of Croatia.

The question is especially pointed because the veterans are remembered as people who stood together during the Homeland War, accepting danger and sacrifice in the fight for Croatia’s freedom and independence. The article asks why that same resolve has not appeared in response to what it describes as a new threat to the country and its people.

This enemy, the article argues, does not arrive in uniform. Dangerous, toxic and carcinogenic waste can threaten health and life, contaminating land, water and air. The waste did not appear by itself, it says, and citizens must again defend what is most valuable.

The appeal is directed particularly at veterans, volunteers and people who returned from the war with disabilities. Their message, as framed by the article, could be simple: they did not fight decades ago so that Croatia would now be poisoned. The pollution also affects land where those who died for the country’s freedom are buried.

Večernji List says it asked the Association of Croatian War Veterans, the Association of Croatian War Veterans of the Homeland War, and the Veterans’ Club of the 118th Gospić ZNG Brigade why they had not commented on the protest. After two days and telephone reminders about the written questions, the publication said it had not received a response from the association, with the provided text ending there.