Asked on Croatian Radio which candidate he would support in the January 10run-off, Mesic underlined that he would support the candidate whose programmeincluded the further Europeanisation of Croatia, the meeting of European Unionstandards and conditions, the completion of reforms, a transparent relationshipwith neighbouring countries, and the transparent financing of the electioncampaign.

Mesic said the financing of Bandic's campaign was not transparent."Since I know how much election campaigns cost, the question is what canhappen later, which questions can be raised."

He recalled that the question he had to answer throughout his presidentialterm had been whether his campaign had been financed by Hrvoje Petrac, abusinessman serving a prison sentence. Mesic said he had to persistently statethat he had not been financed by Petrac, as revealed by an audit. "Still,many kept on attacking and provoking me."

Highlighting the need for a transparent relationship with neighbours, Mesiccommented on statements during the recent campaign about the possibleestablishment of a third entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"That would mean the end of Croats living in Bosnia-Herzegovina as wellas support to the Republika Srpska Prime Minister (Milorad Dodik) to continuebreaking up Bosnia-Herzegovina and separating (the Bosnian Serb entity) fromBosnia-Herzegovina, but this isn't the Croatian policy," said Mesic.

Speaking of Josipovic, he said it was very important that Josipovic"was absolutely clear that he will abide by the Constitution and thelaw" and pursue a consistent functioning of state mechanisms in accordancewith the Constitution and the law.

"My starting point is that Josipovic was absolutely clear ... that hispolicy will be pro-European, that he will fight for the meeting of standards sothat Croatia can join the EU as soon as possible, that he will fight for atolerant Croatia in which someone's position in society won't be determined byideologies."

Speaking of Bandic, who is the mayor of Zagreb, Mesic said voters assumedthat since a lot had been done in the capital, it would be possible elsewhereas well. He warned, however, that the President's Office did not have the fundsat Zagreb's disposal and that the capital had its problems, too. He said Zagrebhad not opened jobs that created new value but large facilities that demanded alot of money.

Mesic said it was possible that in the campaign for the run-off, the twocandidates would not be focusing on statements and actions.

"That's not good. I'd like the campaign to be a debate on arguments,topics, so we can see what can be done to step up reforms and make society atotal democracy so we can all be equal."

Speaking of the failure of the Croatian Democratic Union's presidentialcandidate, Andrija Hebrang, to win enough votes for the run-off, Mesic saidthat was a minus for the ruling party.

He disagreed with claims that yesterday's election had marked a "turnto the left". "It's not about a turn to the left or to the right.Ideologies simply weren't represented in this campaign."

Mesic confirmed that he talked with Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor aboutParliament Deputy Speaker Vladimir Seks's proposal that she be decorated forher fight against corruption, and that they both agreed it was too early forthat.

Asked how he looked upon Kosor's performance, Mesic said she had shown thatshe was nobody's puppet and that she took a very sovereign stand in politics.

"Kosor has shown that she is nobody's puppet, that she is her ownperson and understands the situation Croatia is in," he said, but addedthat he had "the feeling that she isn't the one resolving personnelissues."