The article, titled "Mesic Attacks Agreement with Austria" and subtitled "Croatian President Opposes Government Plans to Compensate Danubian Germans", reads that the draft agreement had been praised by both the Austrian and Croatian governments, but that it had met with strong opposition before reaching the parliament.
The daily highlights Mesic's position that the agreement sets a dangerous precedent and notes that the Croatian president has called on the opposition not to vote for it.
The newspaper says that under the agreement Danubian Germans now living in Austria would be entitled to compensation for their property and that the authorities in Zagreb expect to receive about 10,000 compensation claims.
Noting that the claims could amount to 120 million euros, the daily says that Mesic and opposition leader Ivica Racan are against the payment of compensation and cites Mesic as saying that all issues with Austria have been settled with a state treaty counter-signed by the former Yugoslavia, and with other international agreements which have settled compensation-related issues with Austria, Germany and Italy for good.
Mesic believes that if a separate agreement is signed with Vienna, this will prompt other countries to seek compensation for seized property, the daily notes, adding that Rome seeks compensation for the property of 350,000 Italians expelled from Istria and Dalmatia, who have not been compensated.
The newspaper quotes Croatian Justice Minister Vesna Skare Ozbolt as saying that the agreement on compensation for property confiscated from Germans exiled to Austria is in no way related to Austria's support to Croatia's EU entry bid.
The German media have not yet commented on the issue of compensation.