The legal representative for the ruling HDZ party, Vladimir Gredelj, described as unconstitutional and uncivilised the prejudging of the HDZ's responsibility by a large number of Croatian media companies before the trial for an HDZ slush fund.
"As for the accusations made by the media before the trial has even started, I say: The HDZ as a legal entity is not guilty or responsible for acts some HDZ members are charged with," Gredelj said in a statement.
He went on to say that the 220,000 HDZ members had no material or any other benefit from possible criminal activity on the part of said individuals.
The lawyer called on the media to respect in the continuation of the trial the constitution, laws and professional rules of conduct, thus helping ensure a fair trial for the accused.
The HDZ is under investigation as a legal entity in the Fimi Media case, which refers to the alleged syphoning of funds from state-owned companies, agencies and government ministries through the privately-owned marketing firm Fimi Media. Some of the money is suspected to have ended up in the HDZ's slush fund.
Media have named the suspects in the case as former HDZ president Ivo Sanader, former treasurer Mladen Barisic, former accountant Branka Pavosevic, former secretary-general Ivan Jarnjak, and former spokesman Ratko Macek who managed the party's election campaigns apparently using money from the slush fund.
