Donate for Nikola Tesla - environmental defender

We launched a charity campaign so that this time we could all stand in defense of Nikola Tesla and in that way help and thank him for his dedicated fight for the environment and nature.

By donating to this campaign, you can help Nikola cover the huge (and growing) court costs in the amount of HRK 86.000,00 (cca 11.500 EUR) and give him and his family a chance for a better start.

Due to rising court costs and the costs of this campaign, the goal is to raise 100.000,00 HRK (cca 13.400 EUR). 

You can donate by scanning the QR code (https://tinyurl.com/TeslaQRkod) or by direct payment to the official account of this charity campaign of Zelena akcija/FoE Croatia - IBAN: HR4924840081502026231, reference number: 05-2022, model: HR00, payment description: Donation for Nikola Tesla, SWIFT: RZBHHR2X.

The campaign will last until June 25.

NOTE: FoE Croatia reserves the right to refuse and refund any donation received under this campaign. For rejected donations, the refund will be made no later than 7 days from the end of the campaign, June 25, 2022. The goal of this charity campaign is to raise HRK 100,000.00 (cca 13.330 EUR) which is collected through an account opened only for this purpose. The amount includes Nikola's court costs and the costs of organising this campaign (recording and producing videos, purchasing HRT TV archives, promotional materials, logistics costs etc.). Once the goal is reached, FoE Croatia will suspend receiving donations. All possible unspent funds, after covering Nikola's court costs and the costs of organising the charity campaign, will be paid in favor of the “People for People” initiative.

Who is Nikola Tesla?

You may have thought that Nikola Tesla is a fake name we use to protect the identity of this environmentalist. No, the man's real name is Nikola Tesla! Our Nikola Tesla is an authorised guide in the Velebit Nature Park and a seasonal guide in the Paklenica National Park, a trainee speleologist, namesake of a famous scientist, and such stories about the oppression of environmental fighters and the sacrifices they have to endure are true stories that happen too often in Croatia.

Nikola Tesla was born in Zagreb, spent his childhood and youth in Paris, and returned with his family to his mother's house in Starigrad-Paklenica in 2007.

What is it about?

Immediately upon arrival, Nikola encountered problems. Namely, in March 2007, the Municipality of Starigrad allocated a plot of land right next to his house to a local utility company for waste management. The land, located between Nikola's house and a protected forest, was backfilled by the waste company with various construction and other waste, and used to park and wash garbage trucks. Apart from the fact that heavy machinery was constantly passing by the house and under the windows of Nikola's family, and they performed their operations right next to their house, they also destroyed two thousand square meters of forest and dumped eight and a half thousand cubic meters of various waste.

Nikola was convinced that this is a misunderstanding and that he can solve everything peacefully and reasonably, by presenting his problem to the municipal mayor and the competent department head, whom he believed were chosen to serve the citizens. However, Nikola was soon confronted with a phenomenon that "little people" in Croatia encounter on a daily basis - he learned what local “bosses” are.

Harassment followed. He was embittered by the process of issuing documents for registration of property, reported to the inspectorate for illegal work and illegal economic activities of teaching guitar to children of the local church choir, he was refused the connection to the water supply network and criminal charges for alleged theft of water were filed against him (which were rejected by court judgment).

He also addressed all councilors of the Municipal Council of Starigrad. He participated in the sessions of the Council during which he was the subject of several discussions. He was the target of ridicule, belittling, accusations…

Nikola's family's life turned into daily harassment and abuse by local officials - from the inability to get a job due to the criminal proceedings initiated by the municipality against him to insults by employees of the municipal utility company. "Because of the 'Conviction that criminal proceedings are being conducted' against me, I had huge problems earning money for my family. We are isolated in the community where I live. Few want to work with me. We live on social welfare and regularly go to the social supermarket of Caritas of the Zadar Archdiocese ", says Nikola.

Nikola defended the environment, but lost the legal battle

However, Nikola did not give up the fight for a healthy environment, which is guaranteed to all of us by the Constitution. Since 2009, he has been addressing various institutions - the Police, the Environmental Inspectorate, the Ministry of Administration, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and Croatian Forests Company. Even when he manages to prove that the waste is being dumped illegally and right next to his house and that it’s harmful to the environment , even when the competent institutions order a return of the site to the previous state, nothing happens.

Because of all this, in 2012 Nikola sought judicial protection through the institute of free legal aid and sued the municipality. Although the site was never restored to its original condition, it was rehabilitated and the utility company no longer uses it for its heavy machinery. We could say that Nikola Tesla, through his years of activism, managed to provide a more or less healthy environment for his family, but also for all of us. However, Nikola lost the court proceedings and is obliged to pay huge and, due to default interest, growing court costs - 86.000 HRK (cca 11.500 EUR).

Therefore, support this charity action and help Nikola Tesla in further defense of the environment!