"This is a result of a capricious decision made by president Tudman; this process has nothing to do with the rule of law! I am experiencing this for a second time in my life; only now it is worse than in 1971 [year of so called "Croatian spring" during which a Croatian independence/separatist movement peaked in strength and was consequently suppressed by Tito]. Then, two policemen and citizens were present as witnesses and now there are 11 policemen in the apartment. This event is a proof that we can forget all illusions about the rule of law in Croatia; if I can be unconstitutionally thrown out of an apartment, although I have an immunity as a member of the Croatian parliament, then plain mortals are without protection! This state will move towards democracy when those who intend to steel from the state decide to protect their loot; then, we will get the rule of law. Who can I complain to? I have immunity. I guess, the only thing left for them is to arrest me. The government doesn't govern; Nikica [Valentic, prime minister] doesn't represent anyone; he hasn't even informed me. I've told Tudman that I'm more dangerous for him dead then alive; I am waiting for an assassination!" Mesic fumed in front of the gathered people.
To the question whether he had the legal right to use the apartment from which he had to move out within 24 hours, Mesic replied that the apartment had been set aside for his official use two years ago when he had been a president of Sabor [Croatian parliament]. The government provided the furniture and, according to Mesic, Mesic himself has been paying the rent and other expenses. When he resigned his presidency, Mesic intended to move out of the apartment; however, because of the public works on Ilica, he was unable to move into the apartment owned by his wife. "The government has never asked me to move out of the apartment in Miskecov Prolaz and I was waiting for the work on Ilica to end. The apartment is the property of the city of Zagreb, which gave it to the government and the government to me. Now, Branko Miksa is evicting me from the apartment on behalf of the city of Zagreb; however, I have nothing to do with the city, only with the government. Police tried to force me out of the apartment yesterday, but I used my immunity and they gave up. Today, 11 policemen arrived with an eviction notice; they told me that they had received the notice from the highest levels of the Croatian state authorities; now the process of the eviction from the apartment has started. The government representative, Mladen Martinic, appeared only this morning in order to repossess the government property. All this could have been solved differently," Mesic was scathing in front of the journalists.
Slowly, the eviction from the apartment in Miskecov Prolaz was turning into a rally in support of opposition. Several HND members also appeared. Slavko Degoricija stated:" This has nothing to do with Stipe Mesic; this is an attack on the president of HND and a dictatorship which wants to intimidate opposition and cause confusion in HND. HDZ was unable to buy off HND's representatives in the parliament; they even made up a story according to which 38 HND members switched over to HDZ in Pakrac [town in western Slavonia, east from Zagreb]; we don't even have a local party organization in Pakrac! They blew up a restaurant owned by our man in Kutjevo and told him that they would repair everything if he returned to HDZ; otherwise, they would finish the job. In the election pilot project in Orahovica, opposition parties won 56% of votes. That is why they are introducing measures whose purpose is to cause pre-election fear in the opposition; it is even possible that the opposition will boycott these elections."
Marko Veselica also showed up in Miskecov Prolaz; he stated that acts like these worsen the atmosphere before elections and that he was also considering boycott of the election. Marko Veselica called the eviction of Stipe Mesic criminal. Dr. Zvonimir Separovic emphasized that he had come to raise his voice against an open, brutal and totalitarian act. "It makes no sense to provide an alibi for any kind of democracy; just read the election laws and the government controlled press. Let the opposition show its power, protect its member and boycott the election! I am ashamed to live in a state in which not even a shred of the rule of law remains. The world will find out about this, because members of HND have already informed all embassies. This is the end of world for Croatian democracy," said Separovic; then, with sympathy, facetiously he asked Mesic:" Tell me Stipe, did they beat you? Seriously." Stipe Mesic forcefully denied that and headed for the parliament, certain that his immunity was not so much in question that he wouldn't be allowed to enter the parliament building.