Waste management issues reported in Kragujevac and Gospić

Reports from the Balkan region highlight ongoing struggles with waste management and unfulfilled infrastructure promises. In Kragujevac, Serbia, local criticism has emerged regarding the failure to deliver a modern regional landfill. Despite official assurances from President Aleksandar Vučić and government ministers in 2020 that a new facility would be completed by late 2021 at a cost of 118 million euros, the existing Jovanovac site continues to face issues, including recent fires.

In Gospić, Croatia, the civic initiative ‘Gospić je moj dom’ is protesting against illegal waste disposal. Residents report significant environmental concerns involving buried waste and refuse stored in silos at the former Velebit agricultural combine. The initiative describes the impact on local life and the difficulty of managing the various forms of waste—including hazardous materials—that have been deposited in the area.