HSP Councilor Headbutts Orchestra Conductor

HSP councillor Marko Vuletic (47) strangled, headbutted and made death threats against Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra manager Pero Sisa.

The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) councilor Marko Vuletic (47) assaulted and made death threats against the head of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. Marko Vuletic, aided by two unidentified persons, tried to enter Knezevi Dvori and interrupt the orchestra’s concert. He was stopped by manager Pero Sisa (51). The councilor first strangled and then also headbutted him.  

He tried to end the Serb’s concert  

The incident occurred at 23 h on May 11 in front of Knezevi Dvori in Dubrovnik, during the Symphony Orchestra’s concert, conducted by Kristijan Rista Savic from Wiesbaden, which was what motivated the incident.  

“Shock and disbelief to us and to myself,” conductor Pero Sisa said. “I have a concussion, contusion of nose and gums, and I am as blue as the sea. First he strangled me for a while, but since I am big, he was not successful, so he headbutted me and I passed out,” Sisa concluded his story. 

They ended the cooperation with the orchestra   

According to his words, it all happened because of the visiting conductor, who Marko Vuletic claimed was Serbian and wanted to stop his concert. All in front of 235 visitors, mostly foreign citizens. 

“For starters, I don’t count people’s blood cells and the gentleman has been a German citizen for 40 years already. He is an excellent artist who has accomplished a lot and should have done even more for this orchestra. I lived through the war years too and I will neither forget nor forgive the war, but this has nothing to do with it,” said Sisa.  

Vuletic: I am not guilty 

After the incident, Rista Savic fled from Dubrovnik. He and his partners ended the cooperation with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra in a letter. The Dubrovnik Orchestra sponsored their performances in some of Europe’s great concert halls.  

Pero Sisa himself hired a security company for personal protection, saying that he feared for his life because he had received two death threats in a single month, one of which used a gun as an argument.

“I did not hit anybody or do anything to anyone. I will hold a private press conference on Wednesday, related to the event, and I would rather not say anything else about it now. I am pressing civil charges against Mr. Sisa,” HSP councilor Marko Vuletic told Javno.hr.