The Straits Times World News
· collected 2026-09-05 · by The Straits Times
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Zagreb's central square on September 5 to protest the Croatian government's delayed cleanup of over 30,000 tons of waste in central Croatia. The protest, which was one of the largest in several years, was sparked by the government's failure to begin cleaning up the waste, which is contaminating air, soil, and water in the region. Environmental groups claim that little progress has been made since authorities uncovered the waste last year, with some 34,000-37,000 tons of imported Italian waste still at the site. Protesters expressed dissatisfaction with the government's response, calling for accountability and swift action to clean up the site.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia, to demand that the government clean up a massive dump of hazardous waste. The protest, one of the largest in years, was sparked by frustration over the government's failure to remove 30,000 tonnes of waste, including medical and industrial material, buried near the town of Gospic in the mountainous Lika region. The waste has been stored there since 2023, when it was imported from Italy, and residents claim it is poisoning their air, soil, and water. 13 people were arrested in February for illegally importing and dumping the waste. Despite the government's promise to clean up the site, environmental groups say little progress has been made, and protesters are calling for urgent action. The protest was attended by Croatian actor Rade Serbedzija, who is known for his roles in Hollywood films such as "Snatch" and "Mission: Impossible II".
Written for “Croatian Toxic Waste Protests” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 5098 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-06
Tens of thousands rally in Zagreb over Croatia waste cleanup delays
ZAGREB, Sept 5 -
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thousands → rally → delays
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Zagreb's central square on Saturday to protest the government's failure to begin cleaning up more than 30,000 tons of waste in central Croatia that environmentalists say is polluting the drinking water in the area.
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environmentalists → gather → area
The protest, one of the biggest in Croatia in several years, was dubbed "Walk for Lika", after the mountainous region where the waste is stored.
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waste → dub → region
Authorities last year uncovered between 34,000 and 37,000 tons of waste, much of it imported from Italy in 2023 and 2024, at a site near the town of Gospic in Croatia's Lika region.
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much → uncover → region
The government pledged to clean up the site, but environmental groups say little progress has been made.
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progress → pledge → site
Environmentalists say the waste, which they say includes medical and other industrial waste, is contaminating air, soil and water in Lika, a region known for its vast areas of unspoiled nature.
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they → say → nature
They accuse the government of moving too slowly to remove it.
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They → accuse → it
Protesters carried banners reading: "The Lungs of Croatia Can No Longer Breathe", "Stop the Destruction of Croatia" and "Nature Does Not Forgive".
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Nature → carry → Croatia
The site should have been cleaned up a long time ago," said Verica Jurnjak, who travelled from Gospić to attend the rally.
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who → clean → rally
"It is a shame that no one cares about our children and their future."
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic visited Gospic on Wednesday and said the government had selected a contractor for the first phase of the cleanup, which involves removing waste from the site.
Croatian actor Rade Serbedzija, internationally known for his roles in Hollywood films including "Snatch" and "Mission: Impossible II", also attended the protest.
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Serbedzija → care → protest
"I am here because I have to be here.
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I → have → ?
It is our duty to stand up for our country," he said.
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It → stand → country
"What has happened is a disgrace, and someone must be held accountable."
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someone → happen → ?
