Most party president Nikola Grmoja sharply criticized the government on Saturday over hazardous waste near Gospić, demanded political accountability, and announced further exposure of criminal collusion.
Most party president Nikola Grmoja leveled serious accusations against the government and certain officials on Saturday at the Lađa Marathon in Metković, asserting they are directly responsible for the pollution of Lika with hazardous waste. Ahead of the traditional event on the Neretva River, which this year is held for the 29th time in Metković, Opuzen, and Ploče, Grmoja did not hide his disgust at sharing space with people he considers responsible for years of poisoning in the region.
Grmoja admitted he seriously considered whether to even step onto the command boat of the Lađa Marathon. "My stomach hurts to sit and be in such a small space with the same people who have been poisoning our Lika," he said. His anger is directed at the fact that 37,000 tons of waste are located at the former PPK Velebit site near Gospić, of which as much as 33,000 tons are buried.
The Most president did not mince words, directly calling out Chief State Inspector Andrija Mikulić, whom he claimed received money to poison the people of Lika. He also posed a key question: "Who all received money, who turned a blind eye?" He attributed responsibility to Minister Vučković and Prime Minister Plenković, as well as to representatives of county and city authorities in Gospić, emphasizing that they are all part of the problem. "Instead of at least Minister Vučković offering her resignation, none of that happens. They resort to ridiculous excuses," Grmoja assessed.
He sent a direct message to citizens: "Don't forget who poisoned you and who exposed that poisoning." He also announced that Most will continue to expose what he called a criminal collusion. At the same time, he warned about the Gornji Horizonti project, stressing that the Neretva is suffering because of it. "Only after 10 years, according to the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (ESPOO), did they initiate an assessment of the project's impact on the Neretva Valley," he noted.
Beyond the environmental disaster, Grmoja also criticized the years of unfulfilled promises for Metković. "Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has not been to Metković since 2016, when he promised many projects for this town. He promised an underpass and connecting Metković to the highway. Ten years have passed, and only now is the realization of that project beginning," he said.
He also touched on the government's model for increasing veterans' pensions. Although he welcomed the increase "if it is fair," he announced that Most will draft a "comprehensive proposal." He noted that the earlier proposal by the Možemo party was incomplete and added that he is not familiar with all the details of the government's model. The government's model, which takes effect on January 1, 2027, provides for an additional three euros per month for each month served in combat zones and 50 cents for non-combat service. Grmoja believes that an injustice has been done to veterans who continued working and contributing to the system after their service, and that their pensions must be higher.
