Calmeta Faces Legal Action over Affair Involvements: A Look at Two Cases

Former HDZ minister Božidar Kalmeta will face trial at Zagreb County Court on November 23, 2023, over the Fimi media affair and the HAC-Remorker affair. Last year, a retrial was ordered by the Supreme Court after his initial acquittal was deemed illegal. According to the prosecution, Kalmeta shared large sums of money with associates from road maintenance and construction companies.

Two of his associates, Stjepko Boban and Damir Kezele, have already been 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 this decision in the Supreme Court.

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

Kalmeta has denied all accusations against him and labeled himself a victim of political persecution. Despite this assumption held by the prosecution, his defense team argues that admitting guilt under the law does not necessarily mean actual criminal wrongdoing.