Milinović first heard about the Fimi Media affair in the media

During the trial of Ivo Sanader and others for siphoning money from state companies through the marketing agency Fimi Media into the HDZ’s black fund, the first defense witnesses began to testify today, and former Minister of Health and member of the HDZ Presidency Darko Milinović stated that he did not notice that the party president had usurped the material financial operations and made decisions independently.

Milinović explained that Sanader could not have done this because financial matters fell under the jurisdiction of the main secretariat.

He also asserted that no one complained about being hindered in decision-making. – I had complete autonomy in my actions, in the Presidency and as a minister – said Milinović, who assumes that other members of the Presidency also had autonomy. He added that the agenda of the Presidency was proposed by Sanader after consultations with the main secretary, and that anyone at the meeting could propose any item, which applied to both financial and personnel matters.

The party Presidency, the witness said, was informed at least once a year ‘at the level of information’ about the material-financial situation, but this was not discussed in detail.

The witness explained that there were five levels of party control, asserting that the Presidency fulfilled its statutory duties related to material-financial operations, but in 2007, after an audit identified irregularities in financial operations, the head of accounting Branka Pavošević was dismissed at the president’s proposal, and Marica Glavaš took her place.

Milinović claims that he first heard about the Fimi Media affair in the media, and until then, he was not aware that money was being spent outside of accounts.
– There was never any mention of Fimi Media at the party Presidency while I was present – said the witness, adding that he had never heard of Fimi Media as the HDZ’s marketing agency that participated in campaigns.

Sanader’s goals upon taking the helm of the party in 2000 were the democratization of the HDZ, the introduction of subsidiarity, opening the HDZ to coalition partners, and a pro-European orientation of the party, he said. The trial continues today with the testimony of former Speaker of the Croatian Parliament and member of the HDZ Presidency Luka Bebić.