Croatia addresses illegal toxic waste crisis in Gospić

The illegal disposal of toxic waste in Gospić, Croatia, has triggered significant political and scientific responses. A scientific council, led by Rector Stjepan Lakušić, is evaluating remediation plans for the approximately 33,000 tons of buried material. Two primary methods are under consideration: excavating and removing the waste from the country, or processing and sorting it on-site.

In the European Parliament, Croatian representatives debated the incident, with some characterizing it as a cross-border criminal challenge and others criticizing the government for failing to protect citizens. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated that the government has the situation under control and noted that water safety in the Lika region remains intact, while accusing opposition members of possessing leaked information from ongoing criminal proceedings.

Politically, the Domovinski pokret party has proposed the establishment of a professional nature protection service, or ‘green police,’ to prevent future environmental crimes. Meanwhile, in Zagreb, Mayor Tomislav Tomašević is moving forward with plans for a waste-to-energy plant at the Resnik waste management center, despite local environmental groups raising concerns regarding potential odors and proximity to water sources.