Answering questions from the press in Split, Mesic said he did not know why this happened, that he was sorry about it and hoped the lawyers would manage to reach a consensus so that Markac could have good conditions for his defence.
The press asked if he agreed that the international community had made a series of concessions to Serbia over Kosovo, as confirmed by a recent decision in which the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Serbia and Montenegro did not commit genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina and an announcement that Serbia might become a European Union accession candidate as early as next year.
"It won't be that easy for Serbia to become an EU candidate, but the verdict surprised many, especially those who still remember the war and the victims that we and BiH had as victims of a brutal aggression," Mesic said.
He went on to say that the aggression had not only been financed by Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic regime but had involved the former Yugoslav People's Army, so that the victims had rightfully expected a genocide conviction.
Mesic added, however, that those closely following international affairs, notably the ICJ's work, knew that no state had been convicted for genocide, not even Germany. "Individuals and organisations, yes, but no state, so that would be a precedent, although precedents happen and we expected that precedent to happen."
Responding to a question, Mesic refuted announcements that the island of Vis would be NATO's chief base. "That has nothing to do with reality, but I have heard this story. No, it won't be."
Commenting on the economic platform of the Social Democratic Party, Mesic said he had seen the outlines but felt it was "feasible, although we also have to see other parties' platforms and what is more feasible. But citizens will decide that".