Former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader pled not guilty to skimming public funds, at the start of the Fimi Media trial on Monday. Sanader was charged with creating slush funds for his political party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), as well as for taking money for his personal use. HDZ itself is a defendant, making this the first trial against a political party in Croatia. 

“I plead not guilty on all counts, and I believe that the indictment is contrived. We will prove this during the trial” Sanader told the court.

Sanader has adamantly denied any wrongdoing. He is currently also on trial for taking bribes from an Austrian bank and a Hungarian petrol company. 

In December the Croatian Bureau for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime (USKOK) indicted HDZ, seven individuals, and three companies for organizing to commit a crime and abuse of power. They were charged with skimming US$12 million in public money for HDZ slush funds though the marketing company “Fimi Media,” between the end of 2003 and July of 2009.

Sanader’s co-defendant Ratko Macek, the former HDZ spokesperson, and HDZ also pled not guilty. All the other defendants in the case pled guilty. The companies charged in the case are Fimi Media, Ani-Lon and Onida.

The current HDZ president and former Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor is expected to testify at the trial. The trial is scheduled to continue on April 23.

http://www.reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-briefs/1485-former-croatian-prime-minister-pleads-not-guilty