Vampire in Serbia Has Residents Living in Fear
The mayor of a small village in western Serbia has issued a public health warning, urging inhabitants to practice caution as there may be a vampire on the loose.
Mayor Miodrag Vujetic, of the small town of Zorazje, is warning citizens to beware of Sava Savanovic, a legendary vampire who, according to local folklore, has lived under a decaying water mill located on the Rogacica River.
"People are very worried. Everybody knows the legend of this vampire and the thought that he is now homeless and looking for somewhere else and possibly other victims is terrifying people," Mayor Vujetic told ABC News, adding that all of the villagers are very frightened.
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"I understand that people who live elsewhere in Serbia are laughing at our fears, but here most people have no doubt that vampires exist," Vujetic added.
Tale has it that Savanovic would suck the blood of unsuspecting millers and peasants who visited the area for fresh water.
Tourists even came to the mill to sneak a peek at Savanovic, but only during restricted daylight hours.
Owners of the mill were reportedly so afraid of their vampire resident that they didn't dare repair the mill, and ergo, after years of decay, the mill has finally crumbled, leading villagers to believe Savanovic is on the loose in the mountain town, looking for a new home and fresh blood.
Residents are reportedly stocking up on garlic and crosses to protect themselves from Savanovic, who is apparently one of the most well-known and most feared vampires in Serbia, recognized by a butterfly he pins to his breast.
The villagers of this town won't be sleeping in peace anytime soon, either, as according to vampire legend, the supernatural bloodsucker is most active between December and June.
Folks on Twitter have been getting in on the action, sharing the story of the loose Serbian vampire to readers around the world, although many are not taking the issue very seriously.
"Is Serbia being punked?" questioned one reader.
"The legend, like its original vampire, never dies!" tweeted Brandy Schillace.
The legend of vampires has its roots in Eastern Europe, and the tradition of the vampire has not withered with time. The most recent report of a vampire sighting was in 2011, according to the Examiner.
