"We are not happy that this has happened, but if the presence of mad cow disease is confirmed, we will take decisive measures as we have done in the case of bird flu, which now proves to have been right," Sanader told reporters during a visit to Chisinau on Friday.
"(Agriculture) Minister Petar Cobankovic, his associates and experts have been instructed to take the necessary steps to isolate the samples and do all they can so that damage is prevented and reduced as much as possible," Sanader said.
The Agriculture Ministry on Thursday night confirmed that three tests performed at the Veterinary Institute had confirmed suspicions that a cow from a Croatian farm was suffering from mad cow disease and that the final test results from the reference laboratory in Waybridge in Great Britain were expected next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Commenting on the case, the Independent Croatian Farmers association today criticised the government over its meat import policy and failure to encourage domestic production.
Representatives of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), Bozidar Pankretic and Ivan Kolar, said the government should act quickly to stop the spreading of panic and prevent damage to the domestic economy.
Pankretic, a former agriculture minister, called for stepping up control to prevent illegal cattle trade which he said made up one-third of the market.
He also called on the ministry to name the farm where the diseased cow was found to avoid causing damage to the entire region of Slavonia and confusing the public.