Gospić Is Our Home: From Local Resistance to a National Movement
A citizens' initiative born from the fight against an illegal waste dump in Gospić now also demands transparency around the lithium processing project.
A citizens' initiative born from the fight against an illegal waste dump in Gospić now also demands transparency around the lithium processing project.
The citizens' initiative "Gospić Is Our Home" emerged in early 2025 as a direct response by residents to the discovery of a large illegal waste dump on the site of the former PPK Velebit (Silos) complex in Gospić. Estimates of the waste volume range from 35,000 to 37,000 tons, involving plastic, medical, and other waste, some of which is buried. According to expert findings from the Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering in Varaždin, the waste is ecotoxic and poses a risk to soil, groundwater, and human health.
From the outset, the initiative demanded the public disclosure of waste, soil, and water analyses, as well as systematic remediation. Over time, its focus expanded to include the lithium processing plant project by Jedro DS Innovation in the Smiljansko Polje industrial zone. The initiative highlights that no environmental impact studies have been conducted for this project and that deficiencies have been identified in the permitting process.
In late June 2026, a protest march called "Walk for Lika" was organized, spanning about five kilometers from the illegal dump site to the lithium plant in Smiljansko Polje. The demands included making analyses public, establishing a clear remediation plan, reconsidering lithium permits, and bringing those responsible to justice.
The initiative operates as a citizens' group and collaborates with the association Lička ekološka akcija (LEA). The most visible figure in recent months has been Daria Došen, who participates in meetings with institutions and publicly presents demands. According to business registry data, she is linked to GEOPLAN d.o.o. from Gospić, where she is the owner and director. Vjekoslav Bušić also frequently appears publicly, and the media, including HRT, often present him as a representative of the initiative.
Members of the initiative also include Lika-based engineers Dujo Došen and Željko Devčić, who, according to Slobodna Dalmacija, inform the public in a documented and reasoned manner. Thanks to them, USKOK released the findings of the Faculty of Geotechnical Engineering in Varaždin, which confirmed the presence of heavy metals, the toxicity of the waste, and the leaching of harmful PFAS substances into groundwater.
The initiative has become a participant in public debates and meetings with state bodies, including the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition, the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, and the Lika-Senj County. During late July and August 2026, talks were held with people from the Government and relevant institutions, where the initiative demanded a remediation model and full transparency.
The initiative cooperates with politicians from various parties when they can contribute to achieving its goals. Last year, Dušica Radojčić, chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection and Nature from the Možemo party, visited Gospić and toured the waste site. Most party MP Zvonimir Troskot has also been active in public statements about the waste problem in Lika.
Available data does not indicate that the initiative was launched by any political party, and the initiative itself, in its public appearances, urges that political games be set aside. According to Narod.hr, it would be inaccurate to call the group entirely apolitical with no connections to political actors, but it would be equally irresponsible to claim that HDZ, Most, Možemo, or any other party is behind it.
In August 2026, Vjekoslav Bušić pointed to contamination of parts of groundwater and soil, as well as the presence of PFAS compounds, emphasizing that attention should not be limited solely to water from the public supply system. From the very beginning, the initiative has stressed the protection of human health and the environment, demanding the publication of waste, soil, and water analyses and thorough remediation.
From a local citizens' initiative, "Gospić Is Our Home" has grown into a serious instrument of public pressure with a national dimension. What unites its members is the demand that the waste problem and potential environmental risks in Gospić be addressed in a transparent, professional, and institutional manner.
The initiative has also announced a protest gathering called "Walk for Lika, Walk for Croatia" for Saturday, September 5, 2026, in Zagreb. In a Facebook post, they said: "People with people! People for people! Enough is enough!" The exact location and start time of the protest have not yet been announced, with the initiative stating that a detailed plan, meeting point, and schedule will be presented in the coming days.
The Zagreb protest is a continuation of civic activities related to the waste case in the Gospić area. Previously, the "Walk for Lika" was held, during which citizens demanded urgent resolution of the problem, remediation of the contaminated area, and accountability.
On Monday, a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection and Nature was scheduled to be held in Gospić, but it was interrupted after Committee Chair Dušica Radojčić (Možemo!) proposed that citizens be allowed to ask questions to the rapporteurs first, while Deputy Chair Željko Lacković (Nezavisni party) argued that public representatives cannot ask questions or make rebuttals like MPs. Following this, nine representatives of the "Gospić Is Our Home" initiative left the session just about 40 minutes after it began, and they were followed by the left-wing opposition (SDP and Možemo!) and Most MPs.
Initiative representative Vjeko Bušić stated that citizens had expected concrete answers, but everything began to resemble a political farce. "We thought common sense had finally prevailed, that they wouldn't stray from the topic, but that's exactly what happened. We didn't get to a single concrete question. The health of the population has again been completely ignored," he said. "The waste analyses have been known for 28 months, and nothing has been done. The entire system has failed," he added, noting that citizens no longer know which information to trust. "That's why we wanted, today, in front of the entire public, to get concrete deadlines and a concrete remediation model."
Bušić emphasized that for a year and a half they have been demanding access to analyses that were apparently known as early as 2024, and that if domestic institutions fail to respond, citizens will continue to pressure European institutions as well. Representatives of the citizens' initiatives said: "The citizens of Gospić are leaving this farce; see you in Zagreb."
