Mesic underlined that Istria had been one of the first European regions to face the plague of fascism.
"Croatia's antifascism made a big contribution not only to the victory of the antifascist coalition in World War Two, but also to the building of a democratic Croatia," he said, adding that there still existed some who tried to diminish the significance of the antifascist movement.
Mesic said antifscism was in Croatia's foundations and determined its future, and that Croatia's future was united Europe.
Earlier today antifascist fighters and local residents convened in Pazin to mark the 63rd anniversary of the historic Pazin decisions on the unification of Istria, Rijeka, Zadar and the islands with Croatia.
The events in Istria in September 1943 have a glorious and brilliant place in Istria's history and reflected the centuries-long desire for national and social liberation from foreign government and for unification with Croatia, said Miljenko Bencic, vice president of the Alliance of Antifascist Fighters of Croatia.
He said that was why antifascists welcomed the Declaration on Antifascism supported by the Croatian parliament, and described as a big step forward for Croatia the fact that parliament declared September 25 a memorial day to observe the decision on the unification of Istria, Rijeka, Zadar and the islands with Croatia.
The people of Istria were the first in Europe to experience the terror of fascism, said Alliance president Kreso Piskulic, adding that antifascists were witnesses to the spreading of untruths about the antifascist movement.
"We do not accept the relativisation of the crimes committed by the sides at war during World War Two. Without the national liberation movement and Josip Broz Tito's role, Croatia, alongside the other states of the former Yugoslavia, would not have been included among the winners, but would have been the victim of revenge as the defeated side without any rights," said Piskulic.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the treatment of antifascists, he suggested that Prime Minister Ivo Sanader should finally receive a delegation and hear out their requests. He also requested the support of President Stjepan Mesic, under whose auspices the convention was held.
Mesic's envoy Borislav Vuckovic said the president personally had not doubts at all as to antifascism, considering it a human orientation. He added that the antifascist resistance must never be forgotten as it was a golden page in recent Croatian history.
Istria County prefect Ivan Jakovcic said Istria was being built on the foundations of antifascism and the events of September 1943. He added that "evil was never born in Istria".
"Evil always came from outside, from the north and the west in World War Two and from the east in the 1990s. Therefore Istria will never allow attempts to equate the partisan movement with the Ustasha movement because the two are not related at all," said Jakovcic.
He also called on the government to become involved in all development projects in Istria.
The president of the Slovene Fighters Alliance, Janez Stanovnik, said that border between states should bring peoples together, lead to understanding and not quarreling. He suggested that Croatian and Slovene politicians should close the outstanding border issues in that spirit.