Vice Vukov

Croatian pop singer (born August 3, 1936 in Šibenik) Vice Vukov used to be one of the most popular singers in Yugoslavia during the 1960's. He appeared at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1963 and 1965. Because of his support to the "Croatian Spring" movement he was politically persecuted. Since Belgrade's print media accuse him in 1968 for anti-yugoslavian feelings, during 1970 his songs on the radio and his television performances as well as any stage acts were censored and banned in the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Invitations to festival appearances were becoming scarce, he was banned from TV shows, and the shows already recorded were bunkered. Fearing arrest he decided not to return to Yugoslavia after his Australian tour in January 1972. He settled in Paris, France instead. In the meantime, in Yugoslavia, playing of his recordings publicly in any means was banned, and it was illegal to sell his records and/or to reissue his recordings. This ban was in force until 1988. He returned to Yugoslavia in 1976, but was forbidden from public performing and traveling. Improved political situation allowed him an attempt with a self-released compilation cassette release in 1986. After the introduction of democracy to Croatia, Vice Vukov became a prominent supporter of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia. He held a seat in the Croatian Parliament from 2003. In November, 2005 Vice Vukov had an accident and head injury, and since that moment on he was in a persistent vegetative state. He died September 24, 2008 in Zagreb, Croatia.