European Commission rejects petition over Osijek riverbank project

The European Commission has rejected a petition regarding the Promenade extension project along the Drava River in Osijek, Croatia. The petition, submitted by Katarina Kruhonja of the Možemo! party on behalf of the ‘Za zeleni Pampas’ initiative, alleged that the landscape project by Hrvatske vode violated EU environmental directives, including the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive.

Kruhonja argued that the project’s impact on 21 protected species and its effect on urban climate resilience remained unclear, calling for a suspension and revision of the plans to ensure compliance with EU nature restoration laws. The Commission responded that national authorities are responsible for ensuring projects do not negatively impact site integrity.

In response to the Commission's decision, MEP Gordan Bosanac noted that while the European Parliament's Committee on Petitions gave unanimous support to the initiative, the Croatian Ministry of Environmental Protection has failed to provide a required response to the Parliament. Bosanac criticized the lack of transparency and urged the Ministry to clarify its position regarding the riverbank's development amidst the ongoing climate crisis.