The threats followed a series of articles addressing illegal activities, coastal devastation and the unlawful construction of a port in Krilo Jesenice. On 4 December, the State Attorney’s Office concluded its investigation into a criminal case involving a series of serious threats directed at Jurica Gašpar, editor-in-chief of Morski.hr. The prosecution has filed three indictments before the Municipal Court in Split.
“The Municipal State Attorney’s Office in Split filed an indictment on 23 December 2025 before the Municipal Court in Split against three Croatian citizens, born in 1988, 1969 and 1983, for the criminal offence of threats under Article 139, paragraph 3 in connection with paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code, committed to the detriment of a journalist from an online portal,” the Municipal State Attorney’s Office in Split confirmed to Morski HR. For threats and intimidation related to journalistic work, prison sentences range from six months to five years.
Jurica Gašpar and the Morski HR newsroom faced serious threats, including kidnapping threats, allegedly coming from private shipowners from Krilo Jesenice and their associates. The threats followed a series of articles dealing with illegal activities, coastal devastation and the unlawful construction of a port in Krilo Jesenice.
“It all began at a recorded meeting with PR agent Ankica Mamić, where a plan was allegedly discussed to ‘marginalise’ me and my portal using both incentives and pressure for 100,000 euros, with references to connections with two ministers, which she herself mentioned during the recorded meeting. Encouraged by such strong backing, they transferred their enthusiasm into a WhatsApp group with those who were not present at the meeting and later proposed raising additional money to kidnap me, drive me around in a car trunk and leave me naked on Vidova Gora on the island of Brač,” Gašpar revealed.
He also described what it was like to receive warnings that he could be harmed.
“The temporary relocation of the newsroom and my family, going into the field under personal protection, I did not receive police protection despite requesting it, checking under my car before every entry, constantly looking over my shoulder, heart arrhythmia, insomnia and anxiety, not only for me but also for my close family, all followed after a series of threats and several situations that people who did not even know each other warned me about. After what they heard, they feared for my life and contacted both me and the police, reporting very serious intentions to take my life,” Gašpar wrote, adding that members of the Split criminal underworld were allegedly meant to be involved.
“The investigation officially ended on 4 December, and now I can share one detail that I told only investigators and not even my family, one witness reported to a Dalmatian police station that someone from the Split underworld was supposed to be hired to deal with me. ‘If you don’t find him, you’ll find his wife and children,’ the alleged message said,” Gašpar stated.
“Besides key witnesses, to whom I will be forever grateful, I believe the public spotlight saved me from tragic outcomes, along with many colleagues who tirelessly and professionally reported on everything. I thank them from the bottom of my heart, as well as the criminal police, especially the unit in PU Remetinec, and the Municipal State Attorney’s Office in Split, which collected several registers of evidence,” he concluded.