Former Defence Minister Berislav Roncevic and his then assistant Ivo Bacic reiterated at a retrial in Zagreb on Monday that they had not defrauded the state of HRK 10.2 million through a purchase of more expensive but poorer quality military trucks.
Roncevic and Bacic are on trial at the Zagreb County Court again because the Supreme Court quashed the trial verdict in this case which sentenced Roncevic to four and Bacic to two years' imprisonment.
The Supreme Court quashed the verdict in early April due to error of fact, ruling that the trial court's finding of "extensive damage" caused by the purchase of Iveco trucks was based on a hypothetical conclusion - the defence ministry's chance of the MAN Importer company's more favourable offer coming through.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty after the prosecution read the unchanged indictment.
The defence argued today, as it did in appeal, that the verdict was handed down with a series of legal breaches and under strong political pressure. The prosecution said the verdict was based on evidence, but that the sentences were too mild.
Roncevic was the first minister convicted for corruption. He claimed from the start that he was a victim of political persecution by former President Stjepan Mesic, who was the first to mention the military trucks case in 2005.
Roncevic said there had been no irregularities in the purchase of 39 Iveco trucks for HRK 34.4 million. He and his defence dismissed accusations that the Iveco trucks had been HRK 10.2 million more expensive than those offered by MAN, claiming the MAN trucks had not met NATO standards.
The trial panel of judges found in their verdict that political officials should work in the interest of the state and citizens and not favour companies and defraud the state budget.
