A low‑and‑intermediate‑level radioactive waste depot has turned the former Čerkezovac army barracks into a flashpoint for civil unrest, with citizens demanding transparency and the EU’s Euratom Directive 2013/59 appearing more a legal formality than a safety guarantee. The decision, ratified by Croatia’s Parliament on 18 December 2025, saw 77 deputies vote in favour, 36 abstain and 21 oppose, and the country now faces a cross‑border protest movement that could reshape its environmental policy.
The Una river basin, home to roughly 250 000 to 360 000 people, has erupted in anger. Residents have taken to the streets, chanting slogans and demanding that the government reveal the exact composition of the waste that will be stored at Trgovska Gora. The lack of a precise waste characterisation has left locals uncertain whether the material poses a radiological hazard or is simply a storage of low‑level by‑products. The protests have spread beyond Croatia’s borders, with Bosnian‑Herzegovinian citizens joining the march, citing the potential for trans‑border contamination.
Environmental experts point to a glaring gap between regulation and practice. An IAEA ARTEMIS review in June 2023, involving specialists from Canada, France, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, praised Croatia’s commitment to safe waste management but highlighted a lack of clear roles for responsible organisations. The mission stressed that the country’s national framework, while transposing EU Euratom, does not yet provide the detailed monitoring protocols and emergency‑response plans required for a facility of this magnitude.
A government spokesperson admitted that publicly accessible compliance documents are scarce, noting that the national report submitted to the IAEA for the sixth review meeting remains largely unavailable to independent auditors. This opacity undermines public confidence and hampers external verification of Croatia’s adherence to international best practices.
Policy analysis shows three critical deficiencies: the absence of real‑time radiation monitoring, the lack of an emergency‑response plan tailored to accidental releases, and weak transboundary coordination with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The recent activation of the ESPOO Convention by the Bosnian‑Herzegovinian government underscores the urgency of establishing joint monitoring and data‑sharing agreements to mitigate cross‑border impacts.
To restore trust, the Ministry of Environment should implement a network of IAEA‑aligned detectors, groundwater samplers and atmospheric dispersion models, with data made publicly available and independently verified. A comprehensive emergency‑response plan, incorporating evacuation routes, communication protocols and joint drills with Bosnian‑Herzegovinian authorities, must be drafted and published. Finally, a robust public‑consultation framework should be mandated, requiring transparent disclosure of waste composition, risk assessments and design details before any construction proceeds.
The Čerkezovac controversy is a wake‑up call. By adopting real‑time monitoring, emergency preparedness, and transboundary cooperation, Croatia can not only meet international standards but also rebuild the confidence of the people who live closest to the risk zone. The nation’s future depends on turning a regulatory draft into a lived, enforceable commitment to safety and transparency.
Image Source: www.geplus.co.uk
