In the first seven months of 2026, 15 violations have already been recorded, and police have had to order the removal of nine vehicles by tow truck due to blocked tracks.
The problem of illegal parking in front of the building at Županijska Street 4 in Osijek shows no signs of abating. Cars that illegally stop at this location regularly block one of the busiest tram lines in the city, causing delays that ripple across the entire public transport network. The building houses, among other things, the Registrar's Office, the County Seat, and a branch of the Tax Administration.
According to data from the Osijek-Baranja Police Department, a total of 52 illegal parking violations have been recorded at this address over the past five years. Of these, 37 were recorded between 2021 and the end of 2025, while an additional 15 have already been recorded in the first seven months of 2026. The trend shows no signs of improvement.
The Osijek-Baranja Police Department told SiB.hr that the majority of cases involve parking that directly obstructs tram traffic. "Most of the recorded cases involve parking on or in the immediate vicinity of the tram tracks, thereby preventing the movement of vehicles on rails," they state. In the same period from 2021 to 2025, 28 such violations were recorded, and in the first seven months of this year, another 11, bringing the total to 39 violations of directly blocking the tracks.
Due to the severity of the situation and the blocking of the tram tracks, police have had to respond this year by physically removing vehicles. "This year alone, the removal of a total of nine vehicles by tow truck from this location has been ordered," police confirm, noting that this figure refers exclusively to orders issued by officers of the Osijek Traffic Police Station.
"The aforementioned data refers exclusively to removals ordered by police officers of the Osijek Traffic Police Station, while we do not keep official records of activities by traffic and municipal wardens," the Osijek-Baranja Police Department clarifies.
When asked whether there is increased surveillance at this critical point, police respond that their officers conduct enhanced traffic surveillance in the city center 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The focus, however, is on more serious violations that directly threaten safety.
"Violations of illegal parking, i.e., violations involving stationary vehicles, are also subject to action, but within the framework of enhanced surveillance, priority is given to violations that pose a greater risk to traffic safety," they explain. They also remind that traffic wardens of the City of Osijek, within their legal authority, also conduct surveillance of illegally stopped and parked vehicles.
Drivers who choose to park illegally and block trams face multiple costs. For the violation itself, prescribed under Article 82, Paragraph 1, Item 3 of the Road Traffic Safety Act, a fine of 30 euros is stipulated. If the vehicle ends up on a tow truck, the removal costs amount to 133 euros. But it doesn't end there, due to the resulting tram traffic disruption, GPP (Osijek Public Transport) may also file a compensation claim, the amount of which depends on the duration of the delay, the number of trams stopped, operational costs, and lost profit.
