PRESIDENT Zoran Milanovic said on Sunday he was sorry that Serbia's officials were criticising the recent 25th anniversary of Operation Storm at which Croatia sent messages of reconciliation, and dismissed the possibility of international factors becoming involved in the reconciliation process.
Members of the press asked him in Sinj to comment on Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic's statement that it was unacceptable that Croatian Serb representative Boris Milosevic attended the anniversary when some Serbs in Croatia still had no electricity.
"I'm sorry if she said that. I really haven't been following what they have been saying. Not because I'm ignoring them but because, after all, that's our concern here in Croatia and if they don't like it, I'm sorry. I think we have done our best and even more," the president said.
This is our country and it will be such as we agree
A journalist noted that Croatian Serb official Milorad Pupovac said that some international factors would get involved in the reconciliation process.
"Which international factors? This is our country and it will be such as we agree, and we are agreeing quite well. No international factor!" said Milanovic.
Commenting on his cooperation with the government and PM Andrej Plenkovic, he said it was fair, adding that the government was in charge of the international policy and that the president "helps a little."
"We have a fair cooperation. It will never be perfect... I have certain areas with the government in which we must cooperate. It will be okay, there's no reason why it shouldn't be."
Speaking of today's Sinjska Alka tournament, which he was attending, the president said that when he was prime minister, his government financed the construction of Alka premises which he inaugurated five years ago. "It was quite a luxury project, but one has always given more for Alka than one had."