Speaking after talks at the government, Sanader said he understood the emotions of members of the public when it came to Gotovina and others indicted by the Hague war crimes tribunal.
"Gotovina, Mladen Markac, Ivan Cermak and others have great merits in the defence of Croatia. Certainly, taking to the streets and causing disturbances won't help Gotovina," Sanader said, calling on all to remain calm and collected and have confidence in the government.
"This government knows what to do to protect and defend the truth about the Homeland War. The war was legitimate, defensive, liberating and just, and in that sense no one will write a different Croatian history. We know how to defend that, both through the institution of friends of the court and through others. In any case, one should honour the rule of law, but also start from the presumption of innocence, because everyone is innocent until proven otherwise," said the premier.
Answering questions from the press about announced rallies supporting Gotovina and statements that the one in Split would be similar to the one supporting General Mirko Norac in 2001, Sanader said he shared Archbishop Barisic's opinion that these things would not help Gotovina. "Only Croatian institutions can do that," he said, once again calling on the people to be understanding.
Sanader said all party leaders supported the government in this case, adding that Party of Rights leader Anto Djapic had extended his full support and that he had spoken on the phone to Social Democrat leader Ivica Racan and other representatives of political parties. "This is a moment Croatia must go through and I am deeply convinced that the truth about the Homeland War will win," he added.
Archbishop Barisic said this was a "painful moment for us all... which can't be avoided. I am glad the Croatian government maintains that Gotovina is innocent and we are confident it will do everything to defend him, because by defending him we are in our way also defending Croatia, its history and future," said Archbishop Barisic.
Also attending the meeting were Split city and county officials. Mayor Zelimir Puljic agreed that protest rallies would not help either Croatia or Gotovina. He said he would try to assure the organisers of the rally that "in this moment of temptation we must all connect with full confidence in the government so as to weather this difficult situation".
Gotovina was arrested in Spain on Wednesday. He had been in hiding since 2001, when the Hague tribunal indicted him for war crimes committed in 1995.