Zagreb - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic is under fire for saying the state, facing the financial crisis, should save money on military funerals for war veterans, local media reported Tuesday.

"Five veteran funerals each day. The army must send a platoon with full honours, with salvoes, with pay, with wreaths," Mesic said in a regular morning radio interview.

"It means 13,000 soldiers go out each year - we can find something to save there, like to say farewell to soldiers with a wreath," he said.