Gospić hazardous waste crisis sparks political investigation in Croatia

hazardous waste Gospić environmental crisis Croatian Chamber of Economy groundwater contamination

The illegal dumping of hazardous waste in Gospić has triggered a political and environmental crisis in Croatia. Political leaders, including Sandra Benčić of Možemo!, are demanding urgent parliamentary action to remediate the site and prevent toxic leachate from contaminating groundwater. There are growing concerns that deregulation and insufficient oversight have turned the country into a destination for foreign waste.

Members of the Most party, such as Zvonimir Troskot and Marin Miletić, have called for investigations into the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK) and its Association for Secondary Raw Materials, suggesting that institutional structures may have facilitated the illegal waste trade. In response, the HGK has denied any wrongdoing, stating that its professional associations do not manage the Waste Exchange or make individual business decisions for members.

While local citizens in the Lika region express fear regarding the safety of their water and food, the Ministry of Health maintains that continuous monitoring shows no cause for concern. Meanwhile, political tensions have escalated following a failed committee meeting in Gospić, which opposition members claim was undermined by the HDZ party to protect its image rather than address the environmental threat.

Entities

Andreja Plenković · Croatian Chamber of Economy · Croatian Institute of Public Health · Croatian Parliament · Gospić · Irena Hrstić · Lika · Marija Vučković · Ministry of Health · Most · Možemo! · Sandra Benčić

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] The government's deregulation of imports and insufficient oversight has allowed Croatia to become a destination for waste from other countries. m.metro-portal.hr
[○ 1 SOURCE] Drinking water in Croatia is continuously monitored, and there is no cause for concern regarding water safety.
[● 3 SOURCES] The Association for Secondary Raw Materials, Collection, and Processing does not manage the Waste Exchange or make individual business decisions for its members. www.jutarnji.hr · www.index.hr · www.vecernji.hr
[○ 1 SOURCE] The investigation into the hazardous waste case in Gospić should extend to institutional structures within the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK). glas-slavonije.hr
[○ 1 SOURCE] The HDZ party attempted to use the committee meeting in Gospić to repair their own image rather than addressing the waste site.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Nikola Grmoja requested that representatives of citizen initiatives be allowed to attend the extraordinary parliamentary session. vijesti.hrt.hr
[● 3 SOURCES] Sandra Benčić is calling for immediate measures to prevent leachate from entering groundwater in Gospić. www.24sata.hr · www.jutarnji.hr · n1info.hr
[○ 1 SOURCE] Marin Miletić requested that citizen initiatives from the Lika region be invited to the Environmental Committee meeting.