After the discovery of 37,000 tons of hazardous waste in Gospić, opposition parties demand an emergency session of Parliament and a vote of no confidence in the government, while locals report contaminated water and dying trees.
Croatia's political scene has been shaken by the illegal dumping of hazardous waste in Gospić, which escalated after the release of an expert report revealing severe groundwater contamination. As the opposition calls for an urgent parliamentary session and the government's downfall, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković convened a crisis meeting with coalition partners, while residents living near the landfill express fears for their health and livelihoods.
The case escalated in late July 2026 when a 2024 report indicating an environmental catastrophe in Gospić came to light. Seven days after the initial findings, USKOK released a supplementary environmental impact assessment that confirmed the worst fears. An estimated 37,000 tons of mixed waste were found at the investigated part of the former PPK Velebit complex, some of which was classified as hazardous and ecotoxic.
PFAS compounds, known as "forever chemicals," were detected in groundwater downstream from the illegal dump, and elevated levels of heavy metals were found in the soil. Experts warned that due to the long-term disposal of waste and the specific geology of the underground, the consequences could be long-lasting.
Reacting to the findings, Most party leader Nikola Grmoja called on opposition clubs to meet urgently in the Croatian Parliament to coordinate their next steps. However, at noon, he was met with an empty hall, none of the invited parties showed up. According to RTL, SDP, Možemo!, and Drito had already decided not to attend Most's invitation.
Even before the meeting, Grmoja stated that the government's fall was "the only possible option," arguing that this scandal shows how the consequences of corruption can far exceed financial damage. "Here, Croatian territory, one of the cleanest possible areas, was being poisoned for private gain. These people have specific names, and one of them is Andrija Mikulić, a state inspector appointed by Andrej Plenković," Grmoja told Net.hr.
While Most failed to rally the opposition, Prime Minister Plenković convened an urgent meeting with coalition partners via video link at 11 a.m. on the same day, August 11, 2026. The meeting followed a session of the government's inner cabinet, and Plenković was expected to address the public from Banski dvori.
SDP representative Hajdaš Dončić called for unity among all political actors, regardless of ideology. "Gospić is the moment when the cup overflowed. That's why I call on all political actors in Croatia, regardless of political ideology or party affiliation, not to divide ourselves over this. Because this is not about left or right. It's about whether the same rule will apply to everyone in Croatia: that those politically responsible for the system's operation must answer for it," Hajdaš Dončić told Klix.ba.
Možemo! coordinator Sandra Benčić also addressed responsibility to HDZ's coalition partners, urging them to withdraw support from the ruling party. "All coalition partners are complicit in the crime in Gospić, which generations will feel on their skin," Benčić wrote, as reported by Riportal.
President Zoran Milanović demanded an immediate government response and raised a series of questions about institutional accountability. "Lika, and Croatia as a whole, must get answers: why has no one been punished to this day for the illegal dumping of hazardous waste, and why did the competent state institutions silently allow it? And, most importantly, when will the cleanup of the hazardous waste site begin? All previous justifications from the government and relevant ministries can no longer be tolerated. I call on them to act immediately and protect the health of the people in Lika and the future of the Lika land," Milanović told N1 Serbia.
According to investigators' suspicions, the illegal transport and disposal of waste at the former PPK Velebit site began in 2021. A year later, the company Tipos Resurs received a county permit for managing non-hazardous waste. USKOK suspects that waste from Slovenia, Italy, and Croatia was falsely presented as material for recycling and illegally buried or dumped on open surfaces in Varaždin, Gospić, and Benkovac.
In February 2025, USKOK opened an investigation. According to Klix.ba, the investigation was launched against ten individuals and four companies, while N1 Serbia reports that 13 people were arrested, and the investigation involves ten individuals and four companies. Among the suspects are Varaždin entrepreneur Josip Šincek and his wife Monika.
N1 journalists visited the farm of the six-member Jelinić family in Gospić, who live just a kilometer from the hazardous waste site. Katarina Jelinić, a mother of four, recounted how their lives have changed drastically. "We're worried about our health. This is a very beautiful town, and we had paradise on earth, but because of this garbage, we're worried about our health and the water. The trees are drying up. We want this removed as soon as possible, because it will be devastating for us," Jelinić told N1 Serbia.
The family runs a farm and fears that the water, grass, and plants they grow are contaminated, but they don't want to leave their home. "We plant our garden, we have our animals, and we thought we had healthy food, but that's no longer the case. The animals eat grass and drink water that isn't as healthy anymore, and we water the plants with contaminated water," she added.
