Threatened Croatian Theatre Director Slams Police Inaction

Oliver Frljic, a well-known director and the head of the Croatian National Theatre in the coastal city of Rijeka, told BIRN that he has "lost all hope that police will solve the numerous threats and pressures"that he has encountered since he started running the theatre in September 2014.

Frljic said that he has received bomb threats, which he reported to the state attorney, as well as a photomontage of what appeared to be someone about to be beheaded by Islamic State, with his own head superimposed on the hostage.

He also said that his home and the home of his girlfriend, actress Linda Begonja, were both burgled last week in Zagreb, which he said was "not an accident".

"Additionally, money in my apartment was not taken, as well as a laptop, which tells me this is not a coincidence, nor that the purpose of this break-in was to rob me, but to incite fear," he added.

Frljic, who has been criticised by right-wing leaders for the political content of his work, said he had also been insulted, threatened with violence and spat on by people in Rijeka.

The play that sparked the biggest reaction against Frljic and even caused public protests was 'Aleksandra Zec', which focused on the story of a 12-year-old Croatian Serb girl who was killed along with her parents by Croatian reservist policemen in December 1991.

Although the killers admitted the crime in 1992, all of them were released on a technicality, while their alleged commander Tomislav Mercep has been on trial at Zagreb county court for over four years.

Frljic said his girlfriend had received letters with photos of them together, addressed to 'Linda Begonja Zec', which he said was "an indirect threat to her", bearing in mind the fate of the Zec family.

He said he told...