Sanader said on Saturday that he would not allow Mesic to breath down his government's neck.
"It is my duty as president of the country to ensure the functioning of the state apparatus, including the government," Mesic told reporters and citizens, adding that he would breath down the neck not only of this but of any government to ensure that it delivered on its promises.
"I am sorry that Sanader got involved in the campaign this way. I am surprised, because my statements did not offend anyone. I have the right to my views and I defend them," the president said.
"The prime minister should not be angry at me for saying that a development strategy should have been completed by the end of 2004, because now it is 2005 when membership talks with the EU are due to start and we should have the economic strategy completed in order to make it easier for our negotiating team," Mesic said.
The president also commented on Saturday's statement by Defence Minister Berislav Roncevic, who rejected Mesic's doubts about an unlawful purchase of 35 million kuna (4.6 million euro) worth trucks for the Croatian Army saying that "Mesic has obviously got partial information from the General Staff".
"Defence Minister Roncevic cannot discuss things with me this way because I did not get the information from the General Staff (...). In cases where the law has no doubt been violated the defence minister cannot debate with me this way," Mesic said.
Mesic said he had expressed his doubts about the purchase because of a legal provision saying that an offset arrangement should be agreed upon whenever the value of purchased goods exceeds a million euros, which in this case would mean that parts for the trucks should be manufactured in Croatia.