On Wednesday, February 5, the editorial office of Novosti received a threatening letter addressed to the “editor-in-chief,” which also contained particles of an unidentified powder. The letter included the word “novichok” alongside the message that it was sent “for the 25th anniversary of četnikism at Novosti,” the publication reported.
The threat appears to reference the recent celebration of Novosti‘s 25th anniversary. The letter also included the slur “your Chetnik mother.”
The police were immediately notified. Officers from the Zagreb Police Department conducted an investigation at the Novosti newsroom. At the time, editorial staff were finalizing a new issue, and neither they nor the police officers were allowed to leave the premises until it was determined whether the powder posed a threat.
Members of the Croatian Army — presumed to be specialists in nuclear, biological, and chemical defense — conducted on-site analysis of the powder, after which everyone was allowed to leave the premises. The letter and the powder were taken in as evidence. The investigation into the sender and the exact nature of the substance is ongoing.