"If those young people had been taught what the criminal regime of Ante Pavelic and the Independent State of Croatia was and knew what would have happened to Zadar if the Ustasha regime had survived, they would probably not be wearing Ustasha caps," Mesic told reporters when asked to comment on the behaviour of students at yesterday's rally of support for the general, who was arrested on the Canary Islands on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after the opening of an international conference on transition and European integration in Southeast Europe, Mesic said the protesters belonged to marginal groups which did not have any significant effect on the security situation in the country.
Croatia has adopted a law on cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal and it must enforce its laws and fulfil its international obligations, Mesic said. "That cannot be prevented by taking to the streets, especially not by wearing Ustasha insignia, nor can it be prevented by those who do not know the meaning of Ustasha insignia," he added.
About 200 secondary school students rallied in Zadar's main square yesterday morning in support of General Gotovina. Demonstrators threw stones at the offices of the local branch of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), smashing several windows, and also hurled fireworks, eggs and fruit at the building housing the city government.