"He is a proven professional who earlier performed his duties well as chief of the umbrella intelligence organisation and he is now given the serious task to check and air everything," Mesic said on Saturday when asked if he would insist on establishing whether he had been placed under surveillance by intelligence agencies as head of state.
After a meeting with citizens in his office, Mesic said that the abolishment of the umbrella intelligence organisation was a mistake because of lack of supervision. "Because of the lack of a control mechanism, the POA did what it was not meant to do. While investigating organised crime, they also reached me, and I believe when they say that I was not under investigation."
The president stated that the investigation into organised crime led POA agents also to reporter Helena Puljiz, which he said was absurd because such matters should be investigated by the Office for the Prevention of Organised Crime, the State Prosecution, the judiciary and the police.
"There is obviously a need for a major airing-out, because the agency pooled people who did not know what they were expected to do."
Mesic said that he and Sanader had invited Karamarko to accept the post of POA chief as successor to Josko Podbevsek, but that it was irrelevant who was the first to make this proposal. He added that Karamarko had worked with him for a long time and at one time had headed his office.
Asked why Karamarko had left the intelligence community, Mesic recalled that the reasons were those of principle, because Karamarko's proposal to keep the umbrella intelligence organisation received no support when the law on intelligence services was drafted.
Documents pertaining to Karamarko's appointment will be prepared today, Mesic said, adding that the appointment had to be approved by the Parliament's Committee on Home Affairs and National Security.
Karamarko has been entrusted with forming a team of experts unincumbered by party affiliation or ties with other state services, who are expected to make a comparison of domestic intelligence services and those in the European Union so as to improve the existing legislation on that sector, Mesic said.
He added that it was not true that he had presented Sanader with an accomplished fact, because he sent the PM a letter explaining why he had decided to sign a decision on Podbevsek's dismissal, supported with arguments.
"I had to act quickly, because scandals must be resolved quickly," he stressed.
"Although Podbevsek assured me that everything was alright, documents spoke to the contrary so I had to act, and after he read everything the prime minister agreed to this solution. We should solve other scandals the way we have solved this one, by establishing facts and making decisions," the president said.
The Council for National Security will consider proposals by existing agencies to see which regulations should be adopted to improve their work, he added.
Asked if he had anything to say to Podbevsek, Mesic said that he should choose another profession.
"In any case, being POA chief is a responsible job and I don't think that he performed it in a satisfactory manner."
Commenting on the government's performance so far, Mesic said the government was busy dealing with issues related to admission to the European Union, the start of accession talks, and the establishment of a negotiating team, which he said was what Croatia's position and protection of national resources depended on.
"Perhaps it was not necessary to issue written messages about the government's achievements because the citizens are aware of them, so there was no need for visual impressions, the citizens already know how they are living," Mesic said.