The steering committee of the "Alka" society has made a list of state and other officials who will be invited to attend the 290th tournament which will be held on 7 August.
The first on the list are President Mesic, Parliament Speaker Vladimir Seks and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and the invitations will be sent out on 11 July, the society's secretary Ivan Vrca told Hina today.
He expressed hope President Mesic would attend this year's "Alka" tournament despite the scandal which took place at the lancing tournament in 2001 when the then Alka steering committee, as a sign of support to General Mirko Norac, forbid the winner of the tournament to take the traditional gift from President Mesic.
While visiting an exhibition of uniforms, equipment and weapons used in the "Alka" tournament on Wednesday, Mesic was Asked if he would attend this year's tournament in Sinj. He said that he had not been invited yet, but that he would attend if the policy of the tournament was changed to what it used to be.
Asked whether an invitation would suffice or if he expected a public apology after he was booed at at one of the past tournaments, Mesic said he preferred action to words.