On Saturday, tens of thousands of people protested in the Croatian capital, Zagreb, against an illegal landfill discovered earlier last year in one of the country’s most valuable natural regions. Authorities are actively investigating the companies implicated in this matter.
Protesters demanded the urgent removal of several tons of hazardous waste from the landfill. Approximately 35,000 tons of waste, including both medical and electronic waste, were discovered in the Lika region of central Croatia at the beginning of 2025. This region is renowned for its pristine forests and rivers, national parks, and the Velebit mountain range, acknowledged as the longest in Croatia.
“Today, Zagreb walked for Lika, but also for the right of every person in Croatia that their health does not depend on whether institutions will react in time. For years, on the site of the former PPK Velebit in Gospić, waste has been illegally dumped and buried. Citizens have been warning for too long, and the state has reacted too slowly. Initiating remediation is a necessary step, but it is not enough until there is a comprehensive, publicly available plan with clear deadlines and until responsibility is established for the damage caused,” wrote on X Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Tonino Picula.
Authorities are currently investigating ten individuals and four companies suspected of illegally importing waste from Slovenia, Italy, and Germany, followed by improper disposal near the town of Gospić. Additionally, medical waste originating from Croatia has been identified at the site. A report released by the state prosecutor’s office in August confirmed soil contamination in Gospić.
The landfill has expanded beyond its originally designated area and, according to the report, poses a significant risk to both environmental safety and public health. However, health authorities have indicated this situation does not pose a threat to the city’s drinking water supply.
The demonstration, labelled the “March for Lika, March for Croatia,” garnered support from President Zoran Milanović, various opposition parties, and a range of public figures and non-governmental organisations. Protesters displayed banners that read “Ecocide equals slow genocide” and “Stop the import of waste,” with many waving Croatian flags.
The organisers of this event formally request that the authorities present a comprehensive plan for the disposal of the Lika landfill within the next 20 days. They further demand that the waste be removed within the following three months and that those responsible for its illegal disposal face appropriate consequences.
In early September, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković assured that the site would be covered and the waste removed by mid-October.
“The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia is clear: everyone has the right to a healthy life, and the state is obliged to ensure conditions for a healthy environment. That is not a declaration, but an obligation. I support the citizens gathered at the Walk for Lika and their demand for urgent, expert, and transparent remediation, as well as independent monitoring of possible consequences for people’s health and the environment. Lika today is not asking for a privilege. It is asking for what the Constitution guarantees to all,” highlighted MEP Picula.
