After so many years, my troubles with Slobodan Vugrinec, the former mayor of Motovun, are difficult to piece together without some effort. What happened and when? How did I react to it? What happened next? The misery started in 2008, and much has happened over the seven years in between. Thus I decided to write a lengthy piece outlining the whole story. I thought of it as my introduction to the court in Strasbourg, which should present my troubles in a coherent way. A thousand words would do the job, I thought. But then I realized that it would be useful to append to that piece of writing all the relevant pieces, starting with the one that led to the libel case in the first place (“Croatia Spells Conflict of Interests,” October 3, 2008). When I started collaging all the pieces, it became obvious that I was facing yet another book. The Strasbourg book, as I started calling it immediately. Whether or not it will find a publisher is irrelevant at this stage, for I can always offer it for free on the Ca’ Bon Gallery website. Who knows, the Strasbourg judges may find it an interesting read, as well. Only the front piece will be crucial for them to digest in some detail. The rest is up to their literary tastes, but I should certainly put it together. Besides, I will have a load of readers in Motovun, of all places. Hooray!

Addendum I (March 17, 2015)

Only a day later, the book is already in my hands. About forty-thousand words in length, it has a memorable title, as well. As usual, it comes from one of the pieces in the selection (“Dying to Go to Strasbourg,” October 25, 2013). A picture of Motovun is on the front page, it goes without saying. I will add a few more pieces to the selection in the days to come, but my main job is to write the introduction. The letter to the judges of Strasbourg, that is. Given its importance, it will surely take me a while to put together. At any rate, the book started me thinking about Croatian publishers once again. I bet that not a single one among them would even think of publishing a book in English, no matter the subject. It would be a wonderful tease to send a book proposal to the very best among them…

Addendum II (March 18, 2015)

No more than two days later, the book is on the World Wide Web already. About five-thousand words longer than yesterday, it is available on the Ca’ Bon Gallery website for free (www.cabongallery.org). Peekaboo! Given that nearly all the pieces that make up the newest selection were penned more than three months ago, the Croatian libel law is not a threat any longer. But the most recent pieces have been written with utmost care, it goes without saying. As for the Strasbourg judges, I wish them all the fun with my appeal. I can only hope their verdict will be as much fun for me.

Addendum III (March 20, 2015)

For better or worse, I keep adding to the Strasbourg book, which now counts some fifty-thousand words. Every once in a while, I think of yet another piece of writing that should be added to the selection. And I rush to put it in its rightful chronological place. But it is high time to abandon all hope that the book intended for the judges of the Court of Human Rights could ever contain everything that is relevant to the story of my plight in Croatia. In a way, every single word I have written ever since I was surprised by the first court case lodged against me by the former mayor of Motovun could be added to the book. The three court cases have changed my life in many different ways. And how. At any rate, fifty-thousand words should be enough for my present purposes. Phew!