The protest "Walk for Lika, walk for Croatia" was held today in Zagreb after the big affair with tens of thousands of tons of hazardous waste dumped in the area of Gospić, the Index portal reports.
The organizer of the protest is the "Gospić is our home" initiative.
The most massive protest in Croatia
As estimated, this was the most massive protest ever held in Croatia.
The organizers of the meeting demanded immediate and complete rehabilitation of polluted sites, determination of responsibility and clear deadlines for the removal of waste that poses a threat to the health of citizens and the ecosystem of Lika.
The organizers also demand the immediate removal of 33.000 tons of buried waste within three months.
Photo: Tanjug/HinaLika at a protest in Zagreb
Vjekoslav Bušić from the "God is our home" initiative presented a series of demands at the protest regarding the entire waste management system in Croatia.
Responsibility because we are part of Europe
"If we are part of Europe, we must introduce it. We cannot refer to European values without it. As a matter of urgency, immediately, not from tomorrow but from today, the temporary import of any waste into the Republic of Croatia should be prohibited. Responsibility does not exist only for doing, here there is also responsibility for not doing. As a matter of urgency, establish clear responsibility for all those who remained silent and failed to protect us," Bušić said, as reported by the media.
Photo: Tanjug/HinaProtest in Zagreb
Bušić repeated the request of the initiative that the Government present within 20 days a comprehensive program for remediation of polluted sites, which contains clear and binding deadlines.
During the protest, those gathered chanted "Gospić, Gospić" and "Go away, HDZ!", reports Index.
Citizens also chanted: "Down with the government that poisons our country - while making profits from other people's waste", "Enough delays and lies, remediation of everything is urgently needed", "Lika is loved, not betrayed", "It's time for action and rehabilitation, not bureaucracy!", "Gospić is not a dump! Lika is not a landfill!", "Don't poison our home"...
It's all up to us.
President of "Green Action" Dora Sivka recalled the thousands of tons of waste in Zagreb. "We should not expect that change will come from their ranks, everything is up to us and our resistance must be reasoned. The government is there to serve the people, not the waste mafia that makes money from our health. This is the absolutely perfect time to teach those responsible that lesson," she said.
Severina joined the group and said:
"I'm here like all these people and because I'm a citizen of the Republic of Croatia. Because I went through a very difficult period when they took my child from me through corruption. And a part of me died. That part turned into a little vampire who decided to drink their blood until they accept that they have to be responsible for this society," she said, reports Večernji.
Photo: Tanjug/HinaZagreb rally "Walk for Lika"
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition denies that hazardous waste can be freely imported. It was also said that the Government is aware of the situation in Gospić and that it is acting legally, systematically, responsibly and transparently in the rehabilitation of the waste disposal site.
While the protest was going on, Prime Minister and head of the HDZ, Andrej Plenković, was in Italy, Index writes.
Real journalism costs money, and we will not be bought by tycoons and corporations. Support us with a one-time or monthly donation. The time for it is now!
