PHOTO: President Gives Passing Grade To Cabinet

Mesic said Croatian forces took part in liberating Trieste during World War II, without which Slovenia would not have access to the sea.

Viewing the exhibition `Quiet Rebellion` at the Klovicevi dvori gallery, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic looked back on the first anniversary of the government`s work. According to him, the problem was that several `blows` occurred in the first year of the term, caused by the financial and energy crisis. He reiterated the words of Serb representative in Croatia Milorad Pupovac, that it was more important to work on coalition programmes than coalition contracts. When asked by reporters, he graded the government`s work so far.

- I would give the government a passing grade, which is a big deal. Remember that a passing grade was a big thing at university – Mesic said, without answering if the passing grade was 2/5.

Furthermore, President Mesic commented on his statement that Qatar was interested in constructing a gas pipeline in Croatia five years ago. As Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, he also spoke with the emir of Qatar on the construction, adding it was not important who started the arrangements first.

- This gas crisis needed to happen for people to realise that we have to have another source of energy generating products, not just one – President Mesic concluded.

Only solution of Croatian-Slovenian dispute is International Court of Justice

The issue of strained relations with Slovenia could not be avoided, concerning his statement yesterday “if Croatian units had not liberated that territory, today, Slovenia would be looking at the sea 20 kilometres away”. Mesic repeated that the Croatian anti-fascist forces took part in liberating the territory up to Trieste during World War II, which is why the territory of Slovenia is free.

- This was a vivid expression, you must understand that U wanted to say that it were partisan troops from Croatia, as part of the Yugoslav Army that liberated the entire territory of the Adriatic coast and Istria, stopped in Trieste and liberated Trieste – Mesic said.

He believes another open political issue was politicised and that there is an option of it being frozen until Croatia accesses the EU. He added that the only solution was the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Take a look at the attached photo gallery: Croatian Presidents Views Quiet Rebellion Exhibition.