My appeal to the decision of the court in Pula concerning my supposed insult of the mayor of Motovun is already with the highest court in Croatia. Seated in Zagreb, it is likely to take a while to review the case and make its decision. My lawyer cannot tell me which way the final decision is likely to go, but it is clear to me that my chances are slim. All things considered, Zagreb could be expected to stand behind Pula. Not to worry, though. The court of human rights in Strasbourg is the next and crucial step, given that I will have exhausted all the legal means available in Croatia. And political repression will be my claim. The intent of the three lawsuits lodged against me just before the last municipal elections in Motovun was perfectly clear: to destroy me as the mayor’s political opponent in connection with crooked golf development in the municipality. And my supposed insult is squarely about his undemocratic ways rather than an insult as such. Every politician worth his post in democratic countries should be used to all sorts of insults, anyhow. Again, it is hard to tell at this time how long the whole legal process will take, but my final appeal is likely to be in Strasbourg within two years. That is, while Croatia is still waiting for its accession to the European Union. That will be the best possible time to make sure that political repression in the country comes into the limelight. By then, crooked golf will also be exposed in the media to put the repression in its proper context. Strasbourg, here we come. Oh, I can hardly wait!