On Thursday, November 23, former HDZ minister Božidar Kalmeta will go on trial at Zagreb County Court for his involvement in the Fimi media affair and the HAC-Remorker affair. A retrial was ordered by the Supreme Court after his previous acquittal was deemed illegal. The prosecution claims that 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 what was claimed in the indictment, the prosecutor argues that Kalmeta did not organize a group to extract money. Other individuals accused alongside him were found not guilty as well, although the prosecution appealed the decision in the Supreme Court.

The remorker affair also involved other individuals who admitted to wrongdoing.

Kalmeta has denied all accusations, claiming that he is a victim of political persecution. On the other hand, the defense argues that admitting guilt under the law does not necessarily equate to actual criminal wrongdoing.