Former Environment Minister and SDP politician Mihael Zmajlović criticizes the Government's approach to remediating the illegal landfill in Gospić, while the Ministry defends its timeline of actions.
As the Croatian Government fends off opposition accusations and seeks to justify its actions in the affair involving illegally dumped waste in Gospić, former Environment Minister Mihael Zmajlović has come forward with sharp criticism of the waste management system. The SDP politician called out the State Inspectorate and warned of long-standing problems, noting that for waste issues in Zagreb and Zagreb County, he only receives generic responses from institutions.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition issued a detailed statement outlining its timeline of actions regarding the PPK Velebit site. They emphasize that, together with the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, they have been undertaking activities from the very beginning to remediate the site and protect citizens.
"The facts and the timeline of actions clearly show that the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition and the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund have, from day one, within their legal remits and capabilities, been undertaking activities to enable the remediation of the site and to protect citizens and the environment," the statement reads.
Furthermore, the Ministry asserts that responsibility for the current situation does not lie with the institutions now carrying out the remediation. "At the same time, responsibility for the illegal dumping of waste does not rest with the institutions currently conducting the remediation, but with those who illegally disposed of the waste, and their responsibility should be established and prosecuted by the competent authorities within their procedures."
According to the Ministry, the public was informed about the illegally dumped waste at the PPK Velebit site in February 2025, when USKOK made the announcement. The Government then amended the Waste Management Plan in May 2025, including this site among those earmarked for remediation, thereby creating the legal basis for the Fund's actions. The preparation process for remediation could not begin before mid-October 2025 due to the duration of investigative actions.
The first open public procurement procedure for the removal of loose waste near the silo was published in February 2026, but no bids were received. After further consultations with interested economic operators in July 2026, the estimated value of the first phase of remediation was increased from €2.1 million to €4.72 million excluding VAT. The key reason for the cost increase lies in the chlorine content of the waste, which directly affects the complexity of thermal treatment processes and consequently raises the disposal price. The deadline for removing waste from the site was also extended to 12 months, with an additional 12 months for its final recovery and disposal.
Simultaneously, the Fund also launched a tender for the removal of approximately 650 tonnes of non-hazardous waste in 'big bag' bags, with an estimated value of €400,000 excluding VAT, and a six-month execution period. The deadline for submitting bids for both procedures is the end of August 2026.
Regarding the remediation of the buried portion of the waste, the Fund sent inquiries to 15 foreign operators, and this activity was then expanded by sending inquiries to an additional 60 or so operators managing hazardous waste landfills or waste-to-energy plants within the European Union. Additionally, four inquiries were sent regarding the possibility of disposal in closed former salt mines.
At the end of July, a meeting was held between Deputy Prime Minister Branko Bačić, Minister Marija Vučković, and Fund Director Luka Balen with representatives of the citizens' initiative 'Gospić Is Our Home.' A new meeting was agreed for September 20, 2026, at which models for the remediation of the buried waste will be presented.
Mihael Zmajlović, former Environment Minister, sharply criticized the oversight system, calling out the State Inspectorate. "It's no coincidence that this waste mafia chose Croatia to pull off this job. They knew that the inspection and the State Inspectorate were ineffective and, evidently, corrupt, and they knew that the regulations were such that it's questionable whether anyone would be held accountable. They pocketed the money, and now who will pay for it? The people. Citizens, through taxes and public funds," he stated.
Zmajlović claims he has been warning about problems in the waste management system for ten years. "Of course, we talked about it very often. For the past ten years, and during every amendment to the Waste Management Act, I warned precisely that these changes were not moving toward stricter oversight, regulations, and conditions for waste management in Croatia, but rather toward liberalization and loosening," he said.
He praised the role of citizens' initiatives in uncovering the affair: "Had it not been for citizens' initiatives, associations, and citizens organizing themselves, we probably wouldn't know almost anything about this today. The state system has failed these citizens."
