Speaking to the press in the northern town of Varazdin, Mesic said there was no guarantee that other countries would not accept the project. "Tankers will sail on the same sea but we won't benefit anything from that."
Asked if he sent a letter to Prime Minister Ivo Sanader in connection with the regional conference, as a number of newspapers reported today, in his capacity as head of state or presidential candidate, Mesic said he did so as the president of the republic.
In the letter he said the conference should involve Croatia, Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, and Albania "because only through common agreement can we arrive at a solution acceptable for all, which is why I think holding this conference as early as next year is a good way to find a solution".
Mesic told the press in Varazdin it was pointless to say that someone was for or against Druzba Adria because such statements lacked arguments.
He said a serious discussion about the project should focus on benefits or damage from pollution, which he added was the job of experts. He recalled that more than 150 experts had drawn up studies and that now was the time for an expert and political public debate. He added that if a solution was not found foreign institutions should be referred to for an expert solution.
Before speaking to the press, Mesic spoke with fourth grade high school students, telling them that "we must protect the environment and we must do it with our neighbours". "Three hundred tankers are already sailing along the Adriatic Sea," he said, adding that current debates on Druzba Adria were not aimed at finding the best solution but at winning votes at the January 2 presidential election, which he said was no way to win votes.
With the students Mesic also spoke about European association, the need to invest in science and education, and the protection of national interests after Croatia's admission to the EU.