Parliament rejects SDP motion to impeach PM Plenković over Gospić waste scandal

Lawmakers have rejected the SDP's motion to impeach Prime Minister Andrej Plenković over the hazardous waste dumped in Lika, following a heated debate in Parliament. It was the opposition's 44th attempt to remove the prime minister.

Fifty-five MPs voted in favor of the motion, 79 opposed it and two abstained.

During the debate, SDP leader Siniša Hajdaš Dončić accused the government of evading responsibility for the Gospić waste scandal, poverty, problems in the education system and human rights.

"You've buried responsibility for Gospić, for poverty, for the failing education system, and for human rights. You've buried responsibility for Croatia!" he said.

Nikola Grmoja of Most argued that the government had lost its legitimacy over the waste crisis.

"This is a show in which the main villain simply refuses to leave the stage. But regardless of the outcome of today's vote, this Government is finished. It collapsed the moment it allowed Lika to be poisoned," he said.

HDZ MP Majda Burić, meanwhile, accused the opposition of promoting violence and extremism, calling its members "political extremists and thugs."

Sandra Benčić of Možemo! said the Gospić scandal was part of a wider problem, accusing the HDZ of handing Croatia over to an international waste mafia with the support of its coalition partners.

Dario Hrebak of the HSLS responded by warning that Zagreb would soon face a shortage of places to dispose of its waste.

"Colleague Benčić, with all due respect, in a year's time, Zagreb will have nowhere to dump its waste. Don't expect Bjelovar to take it," he said.

Marijana Puljak of the Center Party turned the debate to the Homeland Movement, suggesting it would continue to support the government despite recent tensions within the ruling coalition.

"We saw yesterday in Split how power is maintained. Mr. Penava gave them a thumbs-down yesterday, but today he'll raise his hand for them," she said.

Ivica Kukavica of the Homeland Movement defended his party's decision to join the government, saying it could have remained in opposition but had chosen to take what he described as the more difficult path.

"Instead, we chose the more difficult path, and we're here defending our homeland," he said.

Josip Borić of the HDP accused the opposition of using the waste crisis for political gain, arguing that its members had no interest in seeing the problem resolved.

Nino Raspudić of the Drito party offered a pointed assessment of the exchanges between the two largest political camps.

"Everything the HDZ said about Možemo is true, just as everything Možemo said about the HDZ is true," he said.

Despite the opposition's criticism and calls for political accountability over the hazardous waste dumped in Lika, the motion failed to secure the support needed to impeach the prime minister.