POREC, CROATIA - After recent graffiti in the Porec, Funtana and Vrsar, popular Porec promenade and beach Lungomare was also “decorated” with similar inappropriate drawings and slogans. On five different locations on the old town walls along the dr. Anton Sonja coast, new irredentist writings were sprayed, reading: “Parenzo is just Italy”. In one spot, a Nazi swastika was written, along with “Slavi raus” (meaning “slaves out”), while the walls near the Italian Primary School have “Parenzo Fascista” written on them.

As the newly decorated facade of the Palazzo Hotel remained spared by the vandals, the hotel`s back side graffiti reads “Istria, Rijeka and Dalmatia only Italian”, while the Duce is also called.

Tourists uncomfortable because of the graffiti

Such slogans during the pinnacle of the tourist season in the Adriatic Sea are not a coincidence, and as guests from Slovenia told us, they do not feel comfortable sunbathing next to these writings. The hosts also feel awkward – one of the swimmers says he has been watching these graffiti for seven days now.

- I live near by and come here for a swim every day. I took photos of it myself, because I have been watching it for days – said an anonymous swimmer.

- This is the main Porec promenade and the largest amount of tourists come now, especially Italian ones. One is hurt by this because I can still remember my family suffering from fascism – an elderly Porec citizen believes.

Graffiti show support to Karadzic

Apart from these fascist graffiti in black pain, which proclaim Porec an Italian city, not far from Cervar – Porat, red graffiti have appeared, insinuating to the Serbian minority in Cervar – Porat and clearly call for support to The Hague defendant Radovan Karadzic. The red graffiti reads four letters C, the size 140x100 cm. Three graffiti have been sprayed in total. Another writing read: “Rade, Serb, hero, the Serbs are with you”, Istria Police Department spokesperson Natasa Rogic confirms.

According to her, the graffiti were also sprayed on the St. Ana chapel and the nearby substation between July 27 and August 2. Rogic pointed out  the police were taking all actions to find the perpetrators and an inquest will determine if both cases have the same author.