Preliminary Hearing for Kalmeta’s Corruption Affairs

At the Zagreb County Court on Monday, a preliminary hearing began, during which, among other things, the date for the start of the trial against former HDZ Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Božidar Kalmeta in the corruption cases Remorker and Traffic Renaissance of Croatia is to be determined.

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Kalmeta and his co-defendants in the Remorker case have been accused by Uskok of siphoning millions from Croatian Highways (HAC), and an indictment has been attached stating that by ordering the promotional film Traffic Renaissance of Croatia, the ministry he headed caused damage of over 600,000 kuna.

Before the preliminary hearing, which started at 9 a.m., Kalmeta told reporters outside the court that this is “the first day of the end of a painful period for him and his family.” He added that he looks forward to the trial beginning because in court “politicking and café stories do not pass” but rather “arguments, facts, numbers, witnesses” that, as he stated, work in his favor.

Three co-defendants already convicted after confessions

Three of Kalmeta’s co-defendants in the Remorker case – Igor Premilovac, Josip Sapunar, and Ivan Berket, were mutually sentenced in July to one year in prison, which will be replaced by community service after they confessed to all Uskok’s charges.

In addition to community service, Sapunar must return 5.8 million kuna to the state as illegal gains, of which 3.8 million kuna in cash, and the rest in real estate and a car, Premilovac four million kuna and 350,000 euros in cash, while Berket had a foreign currency account blocked with 700,000 kuna which will be transferred to the state budget.

Uskok charges Kalmeta in this case with connecting people from his ministry, Croatian Roads (HC), and Croatian Highways (HAC) and that he and his associates shared over 15 million kuna and 850,000 euros from public companies for road maintenance and construction.

Accused and closest associates from the ministry

Along with Kalmeta, the indictment includes another 12 defendants, among whom are his closest associates from the ministry – former state secretary and chairman of the HAC Supervisory Board Zdravko Livaković and state secretary Milivoj Mikulić who was also in the management of HAC.

Former financial director of HAC Josip Sapunar has already testified against Livaković and Mukulić in the investigation, identifying them as the persons to whom he delivered money that HAC subcontractors deposited into the Austrian account of the Czech company Remorker International owned by Igor Premilovac.

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The indictment also mentions former head of HAC and Croatian Roads (HC) Stjepko Boban, leaders of construction companies Damir Kezele, Ivan Berket, Miroslav Bunić, and Petar Pečin, as well as people from HAC and HC Jurica Prskalo, Mario Lovrinčević, and Sandro Vukelić.

Branching arms of corruption affairs

In the meantime, Kalmeta has also been accused of causing damage to the ministry he headed by ordering the promotional film “Traffic Renaissance of Croatia” from the marketing agency Fimi media, which is on trial for siphoning money from state institutions and companies, for over 600,000 kuna. In a separate case, Fimi media, former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, and HDZ as the first party accused of corruption are also on the defendant’s bench.

Both of Kalmeta’s cases were merged in April this year.

One of the branches of the Remorker affair led to the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, which is why its long-time president Nadan Vidošević is being tried for siphoning money. Premilovac, who detailed how he siphoned public money through his foreign company, was also mutually convicted in that case, while Sapunar was sentenced in 2014 to return 7.7 million kuna and a partially suspended sentence of two and a half years in prison for siphoning money from HAC through Fimi media.