Perhaps you'll say, "let it be... it was a war..." etc. etc., but I share the opinion of Drago Hedl, who wrote "human dignity is more important than any war, even the Homeland War".
Therefore, I want to publicly describe everything that happened to me during the last ten years, ever since the democratic authorities took (ir)responsibility for the life of the city. I know that I am only one of 550 victims in Split who experienced that democratic nature on their skin, and who due to efficient terrorists, clumsy judiciary, and disinterested police got the impression that they were not living in a democracy, but in the worst times of Nazi rule.
All those residents of Split who had any sort of Serb origin, or as "pure" Croats were not supporting HDZ nationalism, became persons exposed to public scorn; individuals were allowed to maltreat them, bomb their houses and property, liquidate them, and never be held responsible for any of these acts.
All cases that took place in Split were far from accidental. All explosions were planned under the auspices of the previous authorities. They were carefully planned and systematically swept under the rug.
All these years I feared that my family would be attacked and that I would be killed. Although they did not kill me physically, they destroyed me psychologically, morally, and financially. Today I am disabled with severely damaged kidneys, dependent on dialysis, full of bitterness and disappointment.
I will never understand what sick mind and on what basis decided to place my name on the list of undesirables, ready for elimination.
I owned and ran restaurant "Stefanel", one of more popular restaurants in the city at the time. The first attack took place on May 6, 1991, after big demonstrations in front of the Banovina building, when the soldier from Macedonia was killed. On that day unidentified persons set on fire the outside of restaurant "Stefanel" but the fire was quickly localized, so that the damage was not extensive. Although I reported the attack to the Police, the culprits were never found.
During Yugoslav Navy attacks on Split and during the alarms, my restaurant for days served as a shelter for all people in the Toc district who did not have cellars or shelters, and food and drink were free for everyone.
As a man born in this city, from the first moment I joined the active unit of the 114th brigade led by Mr. Ante Catlak. As a good cook and organizer I took care of the feeding of the brigade, and now for the first time publicly state, as can be confirmed by my fellow fighters, that for about a month and a half I fed the brigade for free, using the supplies from my restaurant. I never asked to be compensated for that, nor did it ever occur to me to ask for compensation. I spent about six months in the brigade and then I had to withdraw because of an advanced kidney ailment. My cook from the restaurant, Velimir Grabovcic, took over my place.
The status of a volunteer hasn't been recognized, but the status of an undesirable person that can be maltreated without punishment has never been questionable. On August 31, 1992, unidentified persons placed an explosive device under restaurant "Stefanel". The damage was severe, and casualties were avoided due to pure luck. The Police examined the explosion remains but the culprit, of course, remained undiscovered. Although I filed a suit against an unknown culprit and the Republic of Croatia, the judicial procedure was never initiated.
On May 5, 1993, unidentified persons placed for the second time an explosive device under restaurant "Stefanel". The damage was again severe and besides the restaurant, many apartments in the same street were damaged. The Police again came to investigate, the culprit is again unknown. The SIS at that time started spreading rumors that I had placed the explosives myself.
The next scam of the ruling HDZ team followed that same year, the operation Dalmatian Action. From the true victim of terrorism I was converted into an alleged terrorist. Nine of us were accused of putting a bomb in the offices of our party [the Dalmatian Action]. We ended up in jail, where my health additionally worsened due to maltreatment. In a shameful judicial procedure we were acquitted only thanks to the courage of judge Dukic, who did not allow to fall under the influence of the HDZ. Slobodna Dalmacija played an especially negative role in the whole case, as from the start that paper portrayed us as criminals and terrorists.
In 1997 I was attacked, beaten up and blackmailed by the local volunteers from the Homeland War. Although that was a classic case of racketeering, the Police failed to do anything. Furthermore, they even shook hands with the culprits. The evening they beat me up, they also took the key of my car, an Audi. After several days, the car disappeared. Is it necessary to say that the Police never found the car, although it knew who had the keys?! Mr. Zoran Pusic then spoke out in my protection, in a letter demanding an end to terror and prosecution of the culprits, published in Slobodna Dalmacija.
The competent authorities remained deaf to that appeal by Mr. Pusic, but the media protecting the bullies spoke up. In their reaction, they avoided facts in their attempt to portray the culprits as saints and angels with all the patriotic virtues.
Those same volunteers, encouraged by the protection they enjoy, beat me up again this year.
After all those beatings, explosions, maltreatment and torture, after so many years of fear for the lives of my family and my own life, what else can I expect in my only city? That the violence finally be stopped? Or that you, Mr. Skaric, at least publicly condemn that violence and to apologize to all the Split residents who, in spite of bombs, bullies and torture, remained proud residents of Split?