Željka from Gospić: I'm Afraid for the Future
USKOK's expert analysis confirms severe soil contamination at illegal medical waste dump. A local resident living about fifty meters away warns that half of Croatia is at risk.
USKOK's expert analysis confirms severe soil contamination at illegal medical waste dump. A local resident living about fifty meters away warns that half of Croatia is at risk.
A year and a half after the scandal broke over the illegal dumping of medical waste, USKOK released the results of its expert analysis on August 6, 2026. The 365-page document confirms serious soil contamination in the disputed area in Gospić and warns of the risk of further spread of pollutants. This has formally confirmed the long-standing concerns of the local population.
The analyses revealed extremely elevated levels of hazardous substances such as copper, zinc, lead, and antimony. The expert opinion describes locally significant and progressive contamination that has already caused irreversible changes to the ecosystem. The findings emphasize that, without remediation, the landfill will become a permanent source of pollution with potential consequences for nature and public health.
Željka Šikić, whose house is just fifty meters from the landfill, posed a key question in an interview with N1: "And what now?" She believes that urgent remediation of the site is imperative. "I think it's high time we took seriously everything people have been saying and warning about through protests and the initiative that has done its part," she said.
She notes that most people are aware of the threat and that private tests have been conducted. "We are all aware of what is across the way, that it's an ecological bomb and that it needs to be cleaned up as soon as possible. Still, I'm afraid that even when procedures begin, it won't be quick, and the consequences will be far-reaching-for people's health, the environment, and all of Croatia," Šikić believes.
She admits to going through all the stages, from grief to acceptance of the situation, but the fear persists. "I am extremely afraid, primarily for my children and for all the children of this town. They don't deserve something to happen to them, to die in agony, to have their parents watch their suffering, or for something to happen to us parents and leave those children without us."
"We live honestly and work hard, and we certainly didn't deserve this. This wasn't some disaster we couldn't influence; this was an act of man," she stressed. She claims that someone sold their lives, their children's lives, and the future of Lika for "some paltry money."
She confirmed that she herself submitted samples for testing, and the results showed high levels of copper and antimony. "I didn't test for forever chemicals; that was done by Dr. Vrkljan. Those findings have been known for half a year or more, but they were ignored and not believed," she stated. She also mentioned a fellow citizen who fell ill from exposure to these chemicals and who, as she says, knows what such a life means.
"I would really like the people of Lika to understand what this is about and to take it very seriously. I don't understand why we are silent and why we let someone else control our future and the lives of our children," she added.
Due to the contamination, she has not consumed tap water since 2021, using only bottled water instead. "Today, someone warned me and said: 'Don't even cook with it.' How am I supposed to buy more water for cooking? We pay exorbitant prices, and we don't drink the water. I no longer know if the clean, clear, cold, beautiful, healthy Lika water that existed before still exists," she recounted.
She was particularly struck by the claim that the pollution "will flow downstream anyway." "So, the people of Gospić should be happy that the people of Otočac or Senj will suffer? That's beyond me. It goes through groundwater into the sea, fish consume it, and we consume fish. It's a closed circle; there's no 'that doesn't concern me.' I'm afraid that half of Croatia is at risk, if not all of it, unless we wake up and react promptly," she urged.
Finally, she mentioned that rumors are spreading around town about an increase in cancer cases, although no official figures exist. "It's all hearsay, but I hope we never find out, at least not me personally. But I am afraid-honestly afraid for the future and for everything that awaits us," she concluded.
