Speaking on his campaign trail in Velika Gorica, just southeast of Zagreb, Mesic said that it was not good to raise this complex issue ahead of elections because it had been on the agenda since the 1970s and could not be simply resolved with a "yes" or "no" vote.
Speaking of Croatia's efforts to join the European Union, the incumbent president said that citizens should not be afraid of the EU and that the country's membership in the wealthy bloc would bring better living standards, new technologies and employment. He stressed that Croatia must become competitive on European and world markets and that it must promote export.
Mesic said that Croatia should come to grips with "rampant corruption" because it lessened the country's chances of attracting foreign investment.
The president called on citizens to support him in Sunday's elections, saying that it would not be good for the country if power was concentrated in the hands of just one party.