Nacional: Croatian police suspect members of the Kavač and Škalja clans are threatening the mayor of Dubrovnik

Croatian police suspect members of the Kavač and Škaljar clans of being behind the threats against Dubrovnik Mayor Mate Franković, who was granted police protection a few days ago, Nacional writes, citing a source with direct knowledge.

Franković was allegedly first threatened with around twenty messages, composed with the help of artificial intelligence, sent overnight via WhatsApp and from several phone numbers registered in Algeria. Police then intercepted plans to try to portray Franković as a perpetrator of domestic violence, and some law firms in Zagreb are also under suspicion.

Both opposing clans "invested" in construction sites in Dubrovnik, which the announced restrictions of the General Urban Plan (GUP) call into question, Nacional writes, adding that the case goes beyond local boundaries, as Franković stated that he has the support of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in this.

Franković, the newspaper adds, is being unequivocally threatened due to the announced restrictive changes to the local GUP, which he spoke about publicly last week in an interview given to Nacional.

"This case goes beyond local boundaries, and can even be classified as a national security threat zone, which represents a first-class challenge for both Chief State Prosecutor Ivan Turudić and Minister of Interior Davor Božinović," the text states.