Croatian MEP seeks EU help to address toxic waste in Gospić

At the opening of the European Parliament’s plenary session, Možemo MEP Gordan Bosanac used a point of order to draw attention to the case of pollution in Gospić, the MEP’s office said in a statement.

He invoked Article 40 of the Rules of Procedure, concerning the fundamental rights, freedoms and principles recognised in Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union, CE Report quotes HINA.

Below is the full translation of his speech, in which he called for an immediate halt to the export of toxic waste to Croatia and for assistance with the urgent process of waste remediation and clean-up.

“Madam President, colleagues, this is a point of order, pursuant to Rule 40.

Since 2021, 37,000 tonnes of hazardous waste containing PFAS have been illegally imported from Slovenia, Italy and Germany and dumped in Croatia, in the city of Gospić – the birthplace of Nikola Tesla, the brilliant inventor of modern electricity.

Gospić and Lika-Senj County are among the most beautiful and best-preserved natural areas of Croatia, proud of their clean water and healthy food.

Yet weak government, weak state inspections, deregulation of rules and corruption have enabled this pan-European criminal ecocide within the Schengen Area. I call on all of us to show solidarity with the citizens of Gospić.

I call for an immediate halt to the export of toxic waste to Croatia and for assistance with the urgent process of remediation and clean-up of the waste.

We must not allow Croatia, or any other country, to become a dumping ground for toxic waste from the European Union!”

The statement also recalls that a plenary debate entitled “Protecting human health from toxic compounds” will be held in the European Parliament on Thursday from 15:00, after the European People’s Party and its members from Croatia’s HDZ succeeded in altering Bosanac’s proposal for the debate to be titled “Protecting human health from PFAS forever chemicals and other toxic substances: the recent case of contaminated groundwater in Croatia.”

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