The leader of the GLAS opposition party, Anka Mrak-Taritas, on Tuesday cited reasons why Mayor Milan Bandic should abandon his plan to repurpose the location of the Zagreb Trade Fair and the Hipodrom racecourse in order to allow the construction of a high rise complex, dubbed "Zagreb's Manhattan" project.

Mrak-Taritas urged the mayor not to touch Zagreb’s “green lungs” on the banks of the River Sava, describing the location as “a small green enclave” in the city.

In the context of climate change she underscored that it would never cross anyone’s mind in urban centres worldwide to turn their existing green spaces into construction sites, except for Zagreb’s mayor who is planning to repurpose the city’s green space.

Furthermore, the existing infrastructure and water and sewer system cannot meet the current needs of that part of the city, she said at a news conference, explaining that residents of the Novi Zagreb suburbs are often left without water supply.

Mrak-Taritas said that there were other locations in Zagreb that were more suitable for Bandic’s plan for Zagreb’s Manhattan project.