In his statements to investigators from the national anti-corruption office USKOK, Barisic admitted that the money siphoned from state companies and institutions through the Fimi Media marketing agency was used to fill the HDZ's slush fund. His statements were read in court because Barisic had exercised his right to remain silent.

Sanader fully dismissed Barisic's statements as "fiction and a fairy tale", insisting that he had not run the HDZ or the government in the way Barisic had described.

Sanader's attorney Cedo Prodanovic said that Barisic had untruthfully accused his client in order to win a more favourable position for himself. He said that Barisic had been questioned as many as 19 times, "which gives the defence good reason to suspect that there are special relations between the second defendant and USKOK, and that this can be regarded as collusion."

Macek's attorney Tihomir Rubesa also objected to the veracity of Barisic's statements, in particular his claim that he had given Macek 415,000 euros to cover the costs of an Osijek television station.

USKOK deputy director Zeljka Mostecak rejected the defence claims about collusion between Barisic and USKOK, saying that Barisic had been questioned in full compliance with the law and in the presence of the attorneys who continued to represent him at trial.

The reading of Barisic's statements will continue on April 23.