Brodosplit Faces Asbestos Disposal Dispute

The news in Croatian

1. izazvati
   prouzročiti neki događaj ili reakciju ↩︎
2. kontroverza  (f.)
   javna rasprava s različitim mišljenjima o nekom pitanju ↩︎
3. boravak  (m.)
   vremenski period proveden na nekom mjestu ↩︎
4. narediti
   dati zapovijed za izvršenje nečega ↩︎
5. okoliš  (m.)
   prirodni svijet oko nas, uključujući zrak, vodu i tlo ↩︎
6. protestirati
   javno izražavati nezadovoljstvo ili neslaganje ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Why did the Croatian government order the Moby Drea to leave?

Question 2: Who are protesting against the situation with the Moby Drea?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
izazvati	provoke
kontroverza  (f.)	controversy
boravak  (m.)	stay
narediti	order
okoliš  (m.)	environment
protestirati	protest

Read the full story

The recent development involving the Italian vessel Moby Drea has sparked controversy in Croatia, centring on its stay at the Brodosplit shipyard in Split. The ship, containing asbestos-laden panels, was ordered by the Croatian government to leave the nation’s waters within seven days, citing environmental compliance issues.

The Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure mandated the departure of Moby Drea after discussions with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and other government officials. This decision followed the unveiling of new facts suggesting that retaining the ship would contravene Croatian and European waste management regulations.

While the shipyard, Brodosplit, received clearance from regulatory inspections to proceed with its contracted maintenance tasks, they face criticism due to the ship’s cargo. According to Brodosplit, all necessary safety and environmental standards for their activities were met. However, the prohibition stands on leaving asbestos waste within Croatia—a responsibility Brodosplit claims lies with the ship’s owner, aligned with standard maritime protocols. Brodosplit emphasizes that they are not accountable for the disposal of hazardous wastes cross-border, a duty falling under Moby Drea’s ownership.

Public outcry has been significant, with local citizens and groups vocally opposing the ship’s presence. Danijela Veber, representing the Citizen Initiative “Healthy Split”, criticised the government and shipyard’s management of the situation, echoed by protests in the city streets demanding immediate action. The local mayor, Tomislav Šuta, also objected to the ship’s stay, questioning Brodosplit’s operational focus.

In response, Brodosplit called for the formation of an independent monitoring team to oversee compliance, highlighting their commitment to lawful operations and public safety. They reiterated that their primary function is shipbuilding, despite temporary increased involvement in maintenance works.

With the ministry’s decision now final, the ship is expected to depart shortly, amidst continued logistical coordination and public scrutiny. As the Moby Drea saga unfolds, it underscores ongoing tensions between environmental policies, industrial responsibilities, and public opinion within Croatia.

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