Prime Minister Plenković announces accelerated procedures after coalition meeting, while a solution for buried hazardous waste is sought across Europe, and HZJZ will report on water quality every three days.
The remediation of the illegal waste dump in Gospić is entering a decisive phase. Following a meeting of the inner cabinet and the parliamentary majority held on August 11, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated that the process is being accelerated and that the key deadline for a new public call for the removal of part of the waste is August 25. The Prime Minister also called on the residents of Gospić not to panic, asserting that the competent institutions will act seriously, professionally, and within the legal framework.
"We held a meeting of the inner cabinet and the coalition regarding the waste situation in Gospić in Lika-Senj County. The main messages are, the criminal process is ongoing, remediation is being accelerated, and the coalition is stable, with everyone wanting the perpetrators of these criminal acts to be sanctioned as severely as possible," Plenković wrote on his Twitter profile.
The problem concerns approximately 37,000 tons of waste at the site of the former PKK Velebit training ground. Of that amount, as much as 32,000 tons are buried, while the rest is on the surface. It is precisely for the removal of this above-ground portion that a new public call will be issued, as no one responded to the previous one.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition and the Environmental Protection Fund have received direct instructions from the Government to expedite all legally permissible procedures. However, if no contractor is found by August 25, the Government is ready to change its approach.
It was the Homeland Movement, as a coalition partner, that insisted on a faster solution. The party's Secretary-General Mladen Barać confirmed that they have received guarantees for a shift to a negotiated settlement model if the public call fails.
"The Government tried to solve the problem through public calls, but they have not yielded results so far. That is why we proposed a different model, and the Prime Minister gave guarantees that after the deadline expires, this path will be taken," Barać stated. He emphasized that their priority is protecting the health of Gospić residents and preserving the environment.
The buried material, considered hazardous waste, poses a particularly complex problem. As the Prime Minister pointed out, Croatia lacks a suitable facility for its disposal. To address this, the Environmental Protection Fund has contacted approximately 70 specialized entities across Europe to find companies with the necessary technology and permits.
Thus, remediation will largely depend on the response of European contractors, who can participate through a public call or direct negotiations. Plenković also recalled earlier successful remediation projects in Varaždin, Biljane Donje, and the Salonita area, stating that the PKK Velebit site will also be remediated calmly, rationally, and professionally.
In parallel with the remediation, a criminal proceeding is underway that has lasted more than five years, led by the State Attorney's Office and the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime (USKOK). Plenković emphasized that the state will seek financial compensation for the costs of waste removal from those responsible, in addition to criminal penalties.
In response to this and similar cases, the Government is preparing a new Waste Management Act for September, as well as amendments to the Criminal Code that would introduce particularly serious environmental crimes, including ecocide.
To prevent panic among the population, Krunoslav Capak, Director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ), reported that measurements so far show no contamination of drinking water. The Prime Minister confirmed that the water is safe for drinking and use, and HZJZ will report to the public on the results of new analyses every three days.
The entire case will be further reviewed on the ground, at a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental and Nature Protection to be held in Gospić.
