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17. 07. 12. - 11:00

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17. 07. 12. - 11:00

Former Minister denies all knowledge in corruption trial

Croatian Times

Former Minister of Health Darko Milinovic has given evidence yesterday (Mon) in the Zagreb County Court at the country's biggest ever corruption scandal trial, saying he knew nothing about any slush fund, reported website Tportal.

The former Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) vice president, also dismissed accusations made by ex-HDZ accountant Branka Pavosevic that Milinovic had been paid 10,000 kuna (1,400 Euros) monthly from the party coffers, saying that the only money he had ever received was a 70,000 kuna (9,500 Euros) donation for the reconstruction of a church in the Lika region.

"The money came from the legal party's treasury. I received it at the HDZ headquarters and not in a coffee shop or at a cemetery. Had I known about the slush fund I would never have signed any document or taken any money," said Milinovic.

Milanovic stressed severeal times in court that receipts furnished in court to back up Pavosevic's claims were forged and also said that he had never heard of Fimi Media until the scandal hit the headlines.

Former ruling party the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), along with former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, former party spokesman Ratko Macek, former treasurer Mladen Barisic, former accountant Pavosevic, and the owner of Fimi Media marketing agency, Nevenka Jurak, face charges of siphoning off more than 70 million kuna (9,5 million Euros) from state institutions and companies.

The court now breaks for the summer period.

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