Less than a week before the local elections, nerves are starting to fray in Motovun. Not surprisingly, those affiliated with the incumbent party, the Istrian Democratic Assembly, appear to be the most jumpy. And therefore the most unpleasant in public and private altercations of all sorts. They stand to lose the most, it goes without saying. Judging by the sentiments of so many people in the municipality, it is quite likely they will have to give up a whole bunch of council posts, which may turn them into an opposition party after many years in power. And power is so very sweet, if not outright bewitching. Having specialized in lucrative real-estate transactions of all sorts, a few of which are still pending, they are starting to bare their teeth. The best their opponents can do at this point is to keep calling for peaceful and orderly elections. As well as elections that bring out as many people as possible. For the end of a murky era is in plain sight already.

Addendum (May 14, 2009)

Just a few days before the elections, the incumbent party has started playing dirty. God knows what else is going on at the moment, but an attempt to smear my reputation is now afloat. A compact disk with doctored footage of my talk at a recent gathering of greens in Zagreb is doing the rounds in Motovun and the surrounding villages. The smear itself is not worth much attention, though. It shows perfectly clearly that the panic is already gripping the Motovun branch of the Istrian Democratic Assembly. As a sign of what is to come a few days from now, it can be only welcomed. They will be trounced.