"Just as we were united 25 years ago in our aspirations towards democracy and freedom, we need unity today for Croatia's future," Leko said in his address.
He called on political actors once again to refrain from undermining values of a democratic society to achieve their own political gain, given the coming parliamentary elections.
"I call on all political actors to be democratically responsible in the year of elections, thus showing care for the future of the Croatian society and state, and to direct their efforts to developing democratic processes and ensuring economic progress to the benefit of all Croatian citizens. Citizens are rightfully expecting it of us," said Leko.
He added that he was confident a national consensus was required to identify the economic sectors that needed to be developed, on the further course of development of the education system and on the country's foreign policy.
Leko recalled that with the establishment of the first multiparty, democratically elected parliament 25 years ago Croatia entered a new era.
"The first steps of Croatian parliamentary democracy, mature and dignified, reflected a deep, centuries-long wish of Croatian citizens to live in freedom. That is what makes us proud today and why we celebrate Croatian Sabor Day," said Leko.
He recalled that the legitimacy of the first multiparty elections was a basis for important state decisions and a stronghold in the defence of the country from the Great Serbian aggression in the 1991-95 Homeland War.
"Croatia defended and successfully freed itself from war destruction and occupation. It achieved this thanks to the unity of its citizens. The will and readiness to defend democratic freedoms from an aggressive occupying policy was owing to that crucial unity," Leko said, stressing that Croatia paid a high price for its freedom, suffering horrible and merciless war destruction.
"That is why when we speak of Croatian Sabor Day... we should remember and thank Croatian defenders who courageously and readily defended democracy and its values. We should also remember the first democratically elected Croatian president, Franjo Tudjman."
He went on to say that by adopting democratic EU standards, Croatia achieved yet another goal set in the early 1990s.
"Unfortunately, some big mistakes were made in the privatisation and ownership transformation of formerly socially-owned companies. This led, partly because of some of the new owners' incompetence and partly because of their corruption, to a big loss of jobs. That loss of jobs was also due to a wrong economic policy that favoured importers over domestic commodity exporters," said Leko.
He warned that Croatia had taken too many loans and that structural problems of the national economy that had led to a high unemployment rate and a difficult social situation were reason for concern.
Noting that those economic problems were not insoluble, he said: "If we won in the Homeland War and realised the centuries-long dream of an independent and free Croatia, there is no reason to doubt that we can overcome structural problems of the national economy. The first positive indicators are here, we would like the pace of overcoming the recession to be faster, but most importantly, we should not lose hope that the future will be better."
Attending the parliament session were President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, former president Stjepan Mesic and former parliament speakers, Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic, and representatives of judicial institutions, the academic community and religious communities.
Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic did not attend, and neither did former president Ivo Josipovic or deputies of the opposition Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party. A large number of MPs from the ruling coalition did not attend the session either.
HDZ deputies insisted on their decision not to attend the session because of a protest of war veterans outside the government and parliament buildings in the last two days, as well as because of comments from Social Democrat MPs on the HDZ's role in the protest.
The first democratic multiparty Croatian parliament was established on 30 May 1990. Zarko Domljan was elected its Speaker, and Ivica Percan, Stjepan Sulimanac and Vladimir Seks were elected Deputy Speakers.
Franjo Tudjman was elected President of the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Croatia, and Stjepan Mesic was elected Chairman of the Parliament's Executive Council.
The atmosphere in which the first multiparty parliament was constituted was special, the excitement at the ceremony in the parliament building spilled over to St. Mark's Square, where the parliament is located and where numerous citizens had gathered, and to the nearby streets.
After the constituent session, the entire new state leadership walked from St. Mark's Square to the central Trg Bana Josipa Jelacica Square, where they were greeted by thousands of exulted citizens.