On Thursday, November 23, former HDZ minister Božidar Kalmeta will stand trial at Zagreb County Court in relation to the Fimi media affair and the HAC-Remorker affair. A retrial was ordered by the Supreme Court after a previous acquittal was deemed illegal. According to the prosecution, Kalmeta shared large sums of money with his associates from road maintenance and construction companies.

Two of his associates, Stjepko Boban and Damir Kezele, were previously sentenced. However, unlike claims made in the indictment, the prosecutor has argued that Kalmeta did not organize a group to extract money. Other individuals accused along with Kalmeta were found not guilty as well, although the prosecution appealed the decision in the Supreme Court.

The remorker affair also included the former financial director of HAC and other individuals who admitted to wrongdoing.

Kalmeta has denied the accusations, labeling himself a victim of political persecution. Contrary to the assumption held by the prosecution, the defense argues that admitting guilt under the law is not equated with actual criminal wrongdoing.