The Croatian market is still swamped by single-use plastics despite the ban, the Green Action NGO said at a protest rally outside the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development on Wednesday, urging it to ensure compliance with the European Union's Single-Use Plastics Directive.

The 2019 directive required EU member states to adopt the necessary measures by 31 July 2021 to achieve a sustained reduction in the consumption of single-use plastic products.

But even eight months after this deadline single-use plastic products are still offered in retail shops and catering establishments in Croatia, the NGO said, citing an informal field survey conducted by environmental groups combating single-use plastic pollution in the country.

“We demand that the Ministry urgently set a deadline after which it will no longer be possible to find plastic products which have been banned from being placed on the market in accordance with the Waste Management Act,” Green Action’s Ana-Marija Mileusnic said.