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Croatia faces controversy over asbestos compensation laws
The Croatian government is facing intense criticism over compensation regulations for workers exposed to asbestos at the Plobest factory in the port city of Ploče. While medical experts from the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) stated in a September 30, 2026, letter that as little as six months of exposure can trigger severe illnesses like lung cancer or asbestosis, current laws require a minimum of five years of employment to qualify for compensation.
Furthermore, claimants must prove they were employed at the factory as of the specific cutoff date of October 8, 1991. An initiative representing asbestos victims argues that this deadline excludes many workers from the high-production periods of the 1970s and 1980s, as well as Croatian war veterans who entered the independence war in 1991. The Human Rights Ombudswoman has recommended that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of the Environment remove these restrictive hurdles.
Entities
Croatian Institute of Public Health · Government of Croatia · Plobest · Ploče
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) stated that six months of exposure is sufficient to cause cancer risks. www.kurierverlag.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.op-online.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Human Rights Ombudswoman recommended removing the current compensation hurdles to the relevant ministries. www.kurierverlag.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.op-online.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Croatian government requires at least five years of employment at the Plobest factory to qualify for asbestos compensation. www.kurierverlag.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.op-online.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Claimants must prove they were employed at the factory on the cutoff date of October 8, 1991. www.kurierverlag.de · www.kreiszeitung.de · www.op-online.de