Stjepan Mesic

In Finnish proceedings concerning the sale of Patria armoured vehicles to Croatia, an indictment raised the possibility that Mesić had been offered or received a benefit. Two former Patria executives were convicted at first instance in 2015 and acquitted on appeal in 2016. In 2023, the ECHR dismissed Mesić's complaint against an article reporting those official allegations.

Legal status — source text

no criminal conviction of Mesić; Patria employees' conviction overturned on appeal

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist is the victim

After Mesić suggested that a Paris-based lawyer should see a psychiatrist, Croatian courts ordered him to pay approximately 6 660 euros in damages for defamation. In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights found that the judgment had not violated his freedom of expression, although it found a breach of his right to a decision within a reasonable time.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Croatian civil liability upheld; ECHR found no Article 10 violation, but found excessive length under Article 6

Attribution

Personally implicated

A 1992 video made public in 2017 shows Mesić making remarks minimising or relativising certain aspects of Jasenovac camp and speaking positively about the Independent State of Croatia in a context of political mobilisation. The Jasenovac memorial strongly condemned the statements.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

Mesić supported close cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and opening archives from the Tuđman era. After Croatian generals were convicted at first instance in the Gotovina/Markač case, opponents accused him of providing sensitive transcripts, notably from Brijuni, to the ICTY.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

In 2011, media relayed a Libyan opposition figure's claim that Muammar Gaddafi had funded one of Mesić's presidential campaigns; other public allegations referred to financing by an 'Albanian lobby'. Mesić rejected the claims and pursued defamation remedies.

At the end of his term, Mesić said that if Republika Srpska held a secession referendum, he would use the Croatian army to cut the Posavina/Brčko corridor, provoking an extremely strong reaction in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Republika Srpska.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Mesić advocated removing religious symbols, notably crucifixes, from state buildings and institutions and fiercely opposed criticism from the Catholic Church, going so far as to warn of 'Talibanisation' if certain attacks continued.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Mesić declared that intervention in Iraq without a UN Security Council mandate was illegitimate, distancing himself from Washington while Croatia sought closer Euro-Atlantic ties. The position triggered diplomatic tension and domestic debate.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Shortly after becoming president, Mesić retired seven serving generals who had signed an open letter denouncing the criminalisation of the independence war and criticising the political climate. The decision provoked major confrontation with veterans and HDZ.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility