"I'm waiting for the report and when I get it, I will speak with the Army Chief of Staff and the Defence Minister," Mesic said in an interview with the commercial television network Nova TV in response to the question whether he would call Defence Minister Berislav Roncevic to account.
Mesic said he did not know about the speculation that the parts that had been installed during the repair of the MI-8 helicopter were not original.
Asked to comment on a report saying that 17,000 military personnel are not insured against accidents in the performance of duties, the President said that it would be best if all the soldiers and all the people employed in the military could be insured, but added that it would put a great strain on the budget and that Croatia could not afford it.
"Individuals should be compensated for any damage done to them, either through legal action or out-of-court settlements," Mesic said.