People from Lika and their supporters marched from King Tomislav Square into central Zagreb. Their focus was illegally dumped hazardous waste near Gospić, binding deadlines and a demand for a different approach to environmental responsibility across Croatia.
From Lika to the capital
The ‘Hodaj za Liku, hodaj za Hrvatsku’ demonstration took place in Zagreb on Saturday, 5 September. After starting at 11 am in Trg kralja Tomislava, the gathering moved to Trg bana Josipa Jelačića, where the main programme began.
It was organised by the citizens' initiative ‘Gospić je naš dom’. The immediate cause was located in Gospić, while the title and choice of speakers were intended to make it visible as a nationwide environmental issue.
Two deadlines are at the heart of the demands
The initiatives demand that the government present a complete remediation plan within 20 days. They also want 33,000 tonnes of buried hazardous waste removed within three months.
Both are demands by the organisers, not binding government decisions that have already been adopted. With the three-month deadline in particular, it is important not to confuse aspiration, technical feasibility, procurement and legal responsibility.
About 15 initiatives and organisations spoke
HRT reported speeches from roughly 15 citizens' initiatives and environmental associations. The platform thus extended beyond the core Gospić group and linked experiences from several affected places in Croatia.
The verified sources contained no reliable official attendance figure. Golden Beach therefore describes the visibly large gathering without adopting a disputed precise crowd estimate.
Gospić remains the concrete test
The central issue is illegally dumped hazardous waste in the Gospić area. Concern extends beyond visible deposits to possible consequences for karst, soil, water and confidence in state oversight.
Any specific contamination measured at a particular location must nevertheless come from official samples and investigations. Protest slogans express concern and political pressure; they do not replace environmental measurements.
The government promises a plan by 20 September
Environment Minister Marija Vučković announced on the day of the protest that the remediation plan for Gospić would be presented by 20 September. The government has therefore named a date within the timeframe sought by the initiatives.
She did not promise complete removal within three months. A presented plan is not a completed clean-up either; it must credibly explain locations, quantities, responsibilities, procedures and the sequence of work.
On waste imports, a political demand meets the legal position
The demonstration also demanded an immediate ban on all waste imports. The ministry had previously disputed the claim that hazardous waste could enter Croatia freely and without controls, pointing to permit and inspection procedures.
Two levels must therefore be distinguished: the political demand for a stricter or complete import ban, and the question of which imports are authorised, controlled or prohibited under current law.
The protest ends, and the verifiable deadlines begin
After the gathering, its impact cannot be measured from pictures of a full square alone. The first specific checkpoint is 20 September, when the government's plan is due.
After that, published investigations, contracts, removal, disposal records and progress reports will count. This protest article documents demands and social pressure; our separate Gospić article tracks the actual remediation work.
Evidence
Sources & date
Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.
- Veliki prosvjed Hodaj za Liku, hodaj za Hrvatsku: Sustav treba mijenjatiHRT / Hina · 5 September 2026, last updated at 8 pmcourse of the demonstration, about 15 participating initiatives and organisations, core demands and political responses
- Prosvjed Hodaj za Liku – URSH poziva na solidarnostUdruga radničkih sindikata Hrvatske · 3 September 2026organiser, route, times, reason and trade-union support
- Ministarstvo: Nije točno da se opasni otpad može slobodno uvozitiHRT · 5 September 2026ministry statement on rules and controls governing hazardous-waste imports
