The alliance said Mesic's statement was insulting to all war veterans and their families, and that Montenegrin soldiers, wearing uniforms of the former Yugoslav People's Army, fought and took part in the aggression on Croatia all over its territory.
Slaven Letica, a member of parliament and a presidential candidate, issued a statement saying that Mesic's claim, as well as Mesic's other claim that "Croatia was never at war with Serbia either, apart from the last one which was caused by (Slobodan) Milosevic," were provocations which negated historical facts and a political revisionism project which Letica said enjoyed the support of parts of the international community and the Croatian public.
Letica added such statements were very dangerous and undermined Croatia's genocide lawsuit against Yugoslavia.
The ruling Croatian Democratic Union's coordinating body for Australia and New Zealand issued a statement saying Mesic's claims were insulting for the entire Croatian people and all Croatian citizens. It requested that Mesic and his office apologise and officially withdraw the statement.
Mesic made the contentious statement on October 30, after meeting Montenegrin Foreign Minister Miodrag Vlahovic, while talking about the benefits of Europe's unification.