Following the incident of illegally deposited waste in Gospić, waste of apparently identical composition has been discovered in Lički Osijek. The mayor of Gospić, Darko Milinović, has requested an immediate response from the relevant state institutions regarding past actions and future steps, as reported by the Tris portal.
According to a statement from the City of Gospić, a municipal inspector was immediately dispatched to the site of the former production facility, and the State Inspectorate was informed of the established facts. The owner was not found at the location, but stated in a telephone and email communication that the land was sold on 2 July 2026 and that, according to the sales contract, he is obligated to clean it. Sanitation of the site was ordered within 30 days based on the municipal inspector's report.
The State Inspectorate had previously acted at the site more than a year ago, and the city has requested an official response regarding the inspections conducted, the facts established, and the measures taken, as stated in the press release.
In Gospić, waste, including medical waste, has been standing in the silos of the former PPK Veleb and around them for a year and a half. According to reports from Tris, this has not been removed, and the civic initiative 'Gospić is My Home' warns of the danger of seepage into the karst terrain and underground water sources.
The initiative has organized a protest march, 'Walk for Lik', and addressed the relevant institutions and Prime Minister Plenković, requesting that they answer their questions by 15 July. The initiative states that it has not received a response.
Minister of Environment and Green Transition Marija Vučković spoke about the case in the HRT News, stating that 'it is not the way for the state administration to answer questions with a 15-day deadline' and that analyses have been ongoing. The initiative responds by questioning why old analyses were published alongside the new tender, and states that in them, lead, antimony, and cadmium exceed permitted levels.
According to reports from Tris, the State Investigation Service (USKOK) had previously established in February 2025 that plastic waste buried with hazardous substances releases toxic particles harmful to the health of humans and animals during decomposition, and that the pollution has caused significant environmental damage to Croatia.
