Citizens of Dugi Rat demand cleanup of land at former ferroalloy company

Residents of Dugi Rat protested again today, demanding that the problem of land rehabilitation in the area of the former Ferroalloy Factory Dalmatia be finally resolved, where a dump of toxic slag remains, which is destroying their health. 

The citizens' initiative that organized the protest reiterated that the state must not allow the sale of the rest of the former factory's land to what they called a "suspicious investor" because the problem of toxic waste can be solved by the local government with European funds.

“We have found a solution, as a unit of local self-government Dugi Rat can access money from European funds and clean the damage,” said Sanja Vitaić from the citizens' initiative.

The land was sold to British investors in 2006, from then a bigger tourist complex was supposed to have been constructed.

“That didn't happen, exploitation of very valuable ore took place that was sold for huge profits, they sold copper and they sold iron. They sold the ore and left us this slag which is cancerous, to poison us, and we simply don't have the patience to wait anymore,” said Vitaić.

The Projekt Uvala investor company has been ignoring requests from the state to clean up the land for ten years and is now preparing plans to build a tourist complex with a marina in Dugi Rat.

“We will do everything to keep this protest going, we will initiate petitions and we are already talking to the ministry, which I believe, together with us, will find a solution to this problem. If this doesn't happen we will continue with protests because we have no other choice,” said municipal leader Tonči Bauk.

Bauk added that the solution is in talks between the ministry, the Projekt Uvala Company and them at the local level.

Source: HRT