Anonymous Property Owner Lashes Out at Obrovac
A long-time property owner in Gornji Karin has sent an open letter to the media and the county prefect, accusing the town of Obrovac of completely neglecting the area.
A long-time property owner in Gornji Karin has sent an open letter to the media and the county prefect, accusing the town of Obrovac of completely neglecting the area.
Gornji Karin, a small town in the Zadar region, has found itself in the spotlight after an anonymous property owner sent a scathing open letter to the town of Obrovac, accusing local authorities of years of neglect of infrastructure, the beach, and tourist amenities. The letter was published on Wednesday, August 6, 2026, and was sent to the media as well as to the Zadar County prefect.
In the letter, the author notes that her family has owned property in Gornji Karin since 1968. After the wartime destruction, they rebuilt their property entirely at their own expense, without any assistance, and have dutifully paid all taxes and utility bills. Despite this, she believes that the citizens' money is not being reinvested in the community.
The bulk of the criticism is directed at the state of the local beach. The letter states that the structures for umbrellas have been left without any covers, forcing visitors to improvise shade by throwing rags and towels over them. The changing cabins are described as worn out, with old and torn curtains that make normal use impossible.
"You couldn't be bothered to put a few straw covers on the umbrella structures, so now people throw rags and towels over them to get a bit of shade. And those poor changing cabins-you couldn't put new curtains on them, but for years you've been putting up old, torn ones, so everything hangs loose and you can't even change in there," wrote the anonymous owner in the letter, as reported by eZadar.
Particularly highlighted is the problem of the public toilet at the beach, which she describes as an eyesore, with the sea washing up grass and rubbish for days that no one cleans. Beyond the beach itself, the letter also criticizes the neglected private olive grove along the shore, which is overgrown and full of litter, with visitors seeking refuge from the sun there.
The letter's author claims that in the last ten years or so, there have been no significant investments in Gornji Karin, except for the renovation of two piers. She also lists a range of other issues: unkempt beach access paths, a non-existent promenade, a lack of street lighting on the road to Donji Karin, and complete inaccessibility for people with disabilities.
"You have done absolutely nothing in Gornji Karin for years-oh, wait, yes, you renovated those two piers. And that's all that's been done in, I guess, 10 years," the letter reads.
A particular problem is the numerous neglected, collapsed, and devastated buildings, which she believes are a breeding ground for dangerous pests and have not been maintained since the war-35 years now. In this context, the town of Obrovac is urged to follow the example of the municipality of Vir, which, according to the author, has successfully resolved similar issues.
The letter compares Gornji Karin to nearby places like Pridraga and Donji Karin, which are said to have undergone significant positive changes in recent years in terms of public spaces and tourist infrastructure. On the other hand, Gornji Karin, despite having the largest number of properties belonging to Obrovac, remains neglected.
The complete absence of tourist activities during the summer season is also criticized. According to the letter, the Tourist Board organizes no events, and the town offers nothing for either children or adults. The author questions what kind of message such a state sends to tourists and expresses her belief that visitors who happen to wander into Gornji Karin never return.
"Look at how the beaches and promenades in the surrounding areas are maintained-for instance, Pridraga, and even Donji Karin has seen major positive changes," the letter emphasizes.
The author has chosen to remain anonymous, stating that she does not want to have problems because of, as she puts it, "a handful of incompetent people who take a salary out of our pockets." In the letter, she expresses her fear that the authorities' focus will be on identifying the person who dared to publicly call out those responsible, rather than on solving the problems.
"I will remain anonymous; I don't want to have problems because of a handful of incompetent people who take a salary out of our pockets. And it's well known that the focus will be on who dared to write and call out those responsible, rather than on solving the mentioned problems. That's how it goes around here," the letter concludes.
As of now, there has been no official reaction from the town of Obrovac to the allegations.
