Croatia waste crisis: Criminal chain suspected from Gospić to Benkovac FAST-MOVING

illegal waste disposal environmental crime Gospić waste crisis PFAS contamination Croatian environmental policy

A major environmental crisis involving illegal waste disposal has surfaced in Croatia, with political leaders describing it as an organized criminal chain extending from Gospić to Benkovac. Members of the Most party allege that between 2019 and 2025, large quantities of waste were illegally transported and buried, potentially threatening water supplies and public health across the Lika, Senj, and Zadar regions.

In response to the crisis, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition has announced that funds have been secured to begin the remediation process in Poznanovac. However, opposition politicians have criticized the government's handling of the situation, calling for emergency parliamentary sessions and greater accountability for potential ecological crimes.

Local officials in Senj have defended the safety of the water supply, stating that recent analyses for PFAS have shown levels well below legal limits. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has countered claims of rising cancer rates in Lika-Senj, asserting that local incidence remains below the national average. The situation remains a central point of political contention as investigations into the permits and oversight of these waste sites continue.

Entities

Croatian Institute of Public Health · Dugi Rat · Gospić · Marija Vučković · Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition · Most · Zoran Milanović · Zvonimir Troskot

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The Ministry has begun preparations for the remediation of the Gospić waste site.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Minister of Health states that cancer rates in Lika-Senj County are below the national average. www.maxportal.hr
[● 5 SOURCES] Politicians claim an organized criminal chain for illegal waste disposal extends from Gospić to Benkovac. dnevnik.ba · zadarskilist.novilist.hr · www.tportal.hr · www.antenazadar.hr · www.novilist.hr
[DISPUTED] The Croatian Institute of Public Health reports that PFAS levels in Gospić's water supply are below detectable limits. likaclub.net.hr · www.24sata.hr
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition denies issuing permits for illegal waste disposal in Gospić. www.dalmacijadanas.hr
[● 2 SOURCES] MP Marija Selak Raspudić has formally requested President Zoran Milanović to call an emergency parliamentary session regarding the waste crisis. www.zagreb.info · www.24sata.hr
[● 4 SOURCES] Waste was transported from Gospić to other locations between 2019 and 2025. www.tportal.hr · www.antenazadar.hr · www.novilist.hr · dnevnik.ba
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition has secured funds and initiated the remediation process for Poznanovac. www.dalmacijadanas.hr
[● 4 SOURCES] Approximately 11,000 tons of waste are buried in Benkovac. www.tportal.hr · www.antenazadar.hr · www.novilist.hr · dnevnik.ba