As I can learn from Google Analytics, several search words or phrases have become quite popular on my website as of late: “Slobodan,” “Vugrinec,” and “Slobodan Vugrinec.” There are many searches, and many pages are visited on some of them. Not a few of these searches lead to unusually long visits, too. Is that the mayor of Motovun himself? Possibly, but I would doubt it. Much more likely, it is his political associates with better English looking for things he could sue me for. Or his lawyers preparing one or more lawsuits on the quiet. After all, they are the very same lawyers who are representing, or used to represent, golf developers all over Istria and perhaps beyond. These developers have turned quiet lately, but they are still waiting for their chance, no doubt. At any rate, here I am—snooping the snoops. Judging from their activities, though, they do not give a damn about being snooped. Of course, political repression works in many guises, including persistent website searches.

Addendum I (July 27, 2011)

The snoops are active. Very active. “Slobodan Vugrinec” is one of the foremost search phrases on my website today. It appears on the very first page of the Google Analytics report. In eight visits, the snoops have inspected some forty pages. They have spent an hour and a half snooping, as well. It must be the mayor’s lawyers who are after me. That is, the golf investors behind the whole lot. Judging from the bulging interest in my writings, golf development is far from dead. Once again, Motovun will be in the news any day now. And I will be nailed to the cross for my sins. Free speech, my ass.

Addendum II (February 10, 2012)

Although nothing much has changed regarding golf development in Motovun, the snoops are still active. Surprisingly so, as a matter of fact. “Vugrinec” and “Slobodan Vugrinec” still top the list of search words or phrases, but several others are there, as well. “Klaudio” and “Klaudio Ivašić” are close to the top. “Tomica Vugrinec” is not far behind. By the way, Tomica or Tomislav is Slobodan’s brother, as well as one of his staunch political supporters. And Klaudio is among Slobodan’s closest political associates in the hilltown. Also, he is a restaurateur and a real estate agent. The two are the most likely snoops, for the searches come from Istria. Be that as it may, the snoops are very active. Chances are that the imminent accession of Croatia to the European Union is giving them hope. And real estate remains the only hope on the peninsula. In fact, real estate is Moses and the prophets in Istria, as Karl Marx would have put it.

Addendum III (November 27, 2015)

By and by, the names of my Motovun enemies are petering out from the search words or phrases of my website reported by Google Analytics. All but one of them, that is. “Klaudio Ivašić” is among the most popular search words or phrases reported to this day. The snoop, as it were. Or the snoop of snoops. Looking back, it is most likely that it was he who was behind all the snooping. He reported to all the others what could be found about them on my site. And it was most likely he who was behind the double libel case against me by Slobodan Vugrinec (“Croatia Spells Conflict of Interest,” October 3, 2008). Peekaboo! Thanks to Google Analytics, everything is clear, albeit with a time delay of seven years that I will remember till my last day.

Addendum IV (January 21, 2017)

Amazingly, “Klaudio” and “Klaudio Ivašić” are among the most prominent search words or phrases on my Residua website to this day. Their incidence seems to be increasing as of late, as well. Each and every time I check Google Analytics, the snoop of all snoops pops up close to the top of search results. There can hardly be any question any longer about his rôle in all my miseries just ahead of the municipal elections eight years ago. And it is obvious that his interest in my writings has perked up just ahead of this year’s municipal elections. Together with several others close to the helm of the local branch of the Istrian Democratic Assembly, he will do whatever he can to topple the present local government. Although Slobodan Vugrinec has been out of local politics ever since it was determined that he did not even reside in Motovun, he is still very active on the sidelines. And so is Emil Soldatić, who used to be the secretary general of the party. Together, they will do everything in their power to get rid of Tomica Pahović, the mayor, and the Independents, who won the municipal elections four years ago. At any rate, the best I can do at present is to keep snooping the snoops. And Klaudio is foremost among them, no doubt whatsoever.