In the Dalmatian hills, wolves are said to fall from helicopters. Locals whisper that the European Union and the Croatian government are secretly bringing them in to drive people away and clear the land for industry. Witnesses swear they have seen it with their own eyes, and rumour hardens into conviction.

Behind the tourist sparkle of the Adriatic coast, this forgotten region is sinking into neglect. Roads crumble, transport and medical care vanish, shops are closed up, and sheep remain the last lifeline of survival – now threatened by wolves, both real and imagined. Meanwhile, wind farms and quarries spread, deepening the sense of siege. Into this tense atmosphere steps a European official, sent to calm the unrest. Alone, she faces anger, suspicion, and fear, holding her ground like a lone fighter in hostile terrain. But the wolves are not asleep. Just ask Estonian farmers, who long stopped counting sheep.

Marianna Kaat