Despite his international success, Fehmiu remained deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of Yugoslavia. However, as ethnic tensions escalated in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Fehmiu made a painful, conscientious choice. In 1987, in protest against the growing anti-Albanian propaganda and the disintegration of Yugoslav ideals, he walked off the stage of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre during a performance of Madame Kollontai . He completely withdrew from public life, refusing to act further in a world consumed by nationalistic hatred. Blistavo i strašno : A Masterpiece of Memoir Literature