The commemoration was organised by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which Tudjman founded.
HDZ leader and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said that Tudjman "is one of the greatest sons of the Croatian people who launched the unstoppable process of creation of the independent and sovereign Croatian state. Under his leadership the Croatian people opposed a far stronger aggressor and with magnificent victories liberated the country from the aggressor and started reconstruction. These facts were key for the international recognition on 15 January 1992 because the world realised that Croatia was capable of resolving its problems and taking care of itself".
Sanader said that because of all that, Tudjman deserved a square and monument in Zagreb, but that the Zagreb government's proposal that this be on French Republic Square was unacceptable. Tudjman deserves a more representative location and this should be decided by consensus, he added.
Sanader said history would speak of Tudjman's merits but that all those who had lived through the establishment and defence of independent and sovereign Croatia knew them well.
"We don't need lessons on this and democracy by others, especially not today's heirs of the Croatian Communist Alliance during whose times Croatia was neglected and patriots were imprisoned and killed. Today they condemn the (HDZ's recent) meeting with retired generals, calling them criminals, but those times, when they decided who was a criminal and imprisoned (people), are over. They wasted time and Croatia lost four years with them," said Sanader referring to the strongest opposition party, the Social Democrats (SDP). "They should prepare for a fierce battle with us at the next elections, which they will definitely lose," he added.
He went on to say that within the HDZ "in the second half of the '90s there were black sheep who damaged the HDZ and Franjo Tudjman's reputation," and that "today they meet and claim they are the real followers and interpreters of Tudjman's policy, although they won a mere two per cent of the vote at past elections".
Commenting on the attacks of the Party of Rights (HSP) on the HDZ, Sanader said he did not deny that the HSP was patriotic, but added that it was out of its depth in politics and that much more time would pass before the HSP could wage a policy to Croatia's benefit.
"We are sympathetic to their transformation into a moderate right wing party, but we will not allow that the responsible Croatian state policy be brought into question for a few more votes," Sanader said, adding that the HSP had been against the parliamentary declaration on the Homeland War and that together with the SDP it had endorsed constitutional amendments.
We don't want Croatia to go back to the past all the time, we are facing the present and the future, for the purpose of achieving key goals to the benefit of all citizens, said Sanader.
The commemoration at City Hall was attended by top HDZ officials and numerous members as well as sympathisers and admirers of Tudjman's work from various parts of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and other countries, as well as representatives of Homeland War associations.