Croatian parliament backs radioactive waste site near Bosnia border

Croatia’s parliament on December 15 approved legislation paving the way for the construction of a radioactive waste disposal facility near the border with Bosnia & Herzegovina, documents on the parliament website said. 

Croatia plans to use the location to store low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, including material from the jointly owned Krško nuclear power plant in Slovenia, as well as existing institutional waste. The facility is scheduled to begin operations by 2028. However, the move faces drawn strong opposition from authorities in Bosnia.

Lawmakers passed the act under an urgent procedure, with 77 voting in favour, 21 against and 36 abstaining, clearing a key legal hurdle for the planned site at Trgovska Gora, in the municipality of Dvor.

Bosnia has repeatedly urged Zagreb to abandon the project, warning that the site lies close to populated areas and poses risks to water sources and the wider environment. Critics have also highlighted that the region is seismically active, raising concerns about long-term safety.

Bojan Vipotnik, Republika Srpska’s minister for spatial planning, construction and ecology, said Bosnia was being excluded from decision-making despite being potentially affected.

“It is clear that plans for construction at the Čerkezovac site have entered their final phase, while Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the country exposed to the consequences, has been sidelined,” Vipotnik said to SRNA news agency.

He called on Croatia to comply with international conventions on cross-border environmental impact and to respect its obligations as a member of the European Union.

The Trgovska Gora site, a former military barracks, was first proposed in the late 1990s.

Croatia has said the project is necessary to meet its obligations under agreements with Slovenia governing the management of waste from the Krško nuclear power plant. The passage of the law allows Zagreb to move ahead with construction once remaining technical requirements are met.