Together with a couple of other intrepid inhabitants of Motovun, this evening I witnessed the historic meeting of the municipal council, at which the physical or spatial plan of our municipality was dutifully accepted by the daft councilors after years of stumbling. Blessed by a vast array of government offices going all the way to Zagreb, the development of golf and polo courses surrounding our town is now official. Although the plan is its sole legal foundation, this is perfectly sufficient for the building surge lying ahead. There will be many apartments, houses, and villas built around the town, but the vaunted sports are most likely to go missing in the racket. They are but decoys, anyway. A defeat this certainly is, but it is victory of sorts, as well. Unwittingly, the councilors have agreed to pass the control of their own town and municipality to investors, developers, and builders from abroad. At this historic juncture, the sovereignty of the municipal council is over. Given our councilors wits, perhaps for the better, too.