I rallied against fake golf in Motovun in 2005, when I realized it had nothing to do with the posh sport. Rather, it was a part of the real estate boom that started around the turn of the millennium and collapsed with the financial crash in 2008. Golf never came to the hilltown, but it was the crash that ultimately stopped it. However, the crash took some time to take hold in Croatia. The very same year, I ended up in court for everything I had done against fake golf. The golf lobby was still hopeful at the time that everything would go smoothly after a few jitters in America, where the real estate boom had started and whence it subsequently spread across the globe.

The then mayor of Motovun piled up three cases against me, two for libel and one for insult. As a local champion of the golf lobby that that was very strong in Istria and that reached all the way to Zagreb, he wanted to crush me ahead of the municipal elections in 2009. Although he lost the libel cases, he won the insult one. And I am still appealing against decisions of the municipal and regional courts in Istria. Due to the incompetence of the Croatian judicial system, I am still in court six years later. Before going to Strasbourg with my final appeal, I had to appeal to the highest court in the country, but I have been waiting for its decision for more than three years already. The misery may take many more years still.

Now, would I rally against fake golf in Motovun had I known what was in store? If asked this straightforward question three or four years ago, I would have no difficulty answering it. Had I known what was in store, I would keep my mouth shut. Things are changing, though. If asked the same question today, I would not rush with an answer. Upon some reflection, it is quite likely that I would still rally against anything that might harm the hilltown and its surroundings in spite of everything that has happened to me in the meanwhile. And the reason for this change in my attitude has to do with the fact that I am much closer to the local community at this juncture than I was three or four years ago. The new mayor of Motovun and his affiliates make a big difference in my mind. The hilltown is worth fighting for once again.