SDP leader to demand accountability for environmental disaster and concrete cleanup deadlines in Gospić on Friday. Plenković says criminal proceedings continue and the coalition remains stable.
SDP leader Siniša Hajdaš Dončić announced on Tuesday that he would initiate proceedings to oust Andrej Plenković's government, immediately after the parliamentary Committee on Environment holds a thematic session in Gospić on Friday. The reason, as he put it, is the "devastating" picture of pollution in Lika stemming from the published findings of the USKOK expert analysis.
"First the parliamentary Committee on Environment, and then the motion to oust the government," Hajdaš Dončić said, calling on all opposition parties to join the initiative. He praised Most's MPs Nikola Grmoja and Marin Troskot for their support, dismissing claims of discord within the opposition.
Hajdaš Dončić stressed that at the Committee session he would insist on establishing the responsibility of all those who failed, as well as defining "concrete deadlines and responsible individuals for the cleanup." He claimed there is a connection between those who issued permits, Prime Minister Plenković, and Chief State Inspector Andrija Mikulić, asserting they share a "HDZ membership card."
He said of Mikulić that "Andrej Plenković chose him" and called him the Prime Minister's friend. "That's key, that's important. And that will distinguish whether we are a state of anarchy and mafia or a well-ordered state," he said.
The SDP leader specifically addressed the amount of illegally dumped waste. "This isn't three tons of garbage; it's 37,000 tons of garbage that someone imported into Croatia," he said, adding that those who imported the waste consider Croatia a "banana republic."
He assessed that the entire situation shows "Plenković is not running the state" and directly addressed the Prime Minister: "If he shifts blame onto the opposition, onto associations, onto citizens, if he's always looking for someone else, my question is why is he the Prime Minister then? What are you Prime Minister for?"
On the other hand, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković posted on social media platform X the same day that he held a meeting of his inner cabinet and coalition regarding the waste situation in Gospić, Lika-Senj County. "The main messages are: the criminal process is ongoing, the cleanup is being accelerated, and the coalition is stable, with everyone wanting the harshest sanctions for the perpetrators of these criminal acts," Plenković wrote.
Earlier, USKOK released the results of an expert analysis indicating that significant quantities of various types of waste, including hazardous and ecotoxic materials, were found at the industrial complex in Gospić. It was confirmed that soil contamination has occurred and there is a risk of impact on groundwater. The analysis was conducted during the investigation against the Šincek couple and others suspected of illegal waste handling. According to the experts' findings, without remediation, the landfill could be a continuous source of pollution.
The same day, the party Homeland and National Gathering (DOMiNO) also spoke out, demanding a "complete review" of the cases in Gospić and Benkovac. Their MP Damir Biloglav had warned about improper hazardous waste disposal as early as March 2025, and now they are seeking accountability from Environment Minister Marija Vučković, Prime Minister Plenković, and the State Inspectorate.
From DOMiNO, they stated that "the system had everything: regulations, permits, records, inspections, and warnings, except for the very thing it exists for – effective control and accountability." They also criticized the public administration reform that transferred numerous powers to counties while inspection oversight remained centralized, demanding that it be determined who prepared and signed the permits and conducted the inspections.
They dismissed the possibility that around 35,000 tons of waste simply slipped "under the radar," emphasizing that behind it all are contracts, invoices, trucks, intermediaries, and inspections. They also called for "following the money" to determine whether someone was paid for proper disposal and then, for greater profit, cheaply passed the waste on. "Waste is not just an environmental problem; waste is big business and big money," they said, also recalling the Drava International case as a warning that it is "a scandal when the state doesn't see crime for years."
Although they seek Minister Vučković's accountability, DOMiNO stressed they do not agree that political responsibility should stop with her. "Plenković must answer how the system, run by his governments for years, allowed such an outcome, who did the staffing, who supervised, and who knew," they stated. They added that they are not interested in an attempt to topple the government without the necessary majority, but rather in establishing the responsibility of the entire chain – from the government and county structures to the private companies involved in transport and disposal.
Prime Minister Plenković, when asked about confidence in Minister Vučković, replied: "Yes, why wouldn't she have it?" When asked about appointing a new Chief State Inspector, he said the Inspectorate is working and is currently led by acting director Ivan Samac, stating that "anyone appointed to a position is appointed to work in accordance with the law."
