Attorney for the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Vladimir Gredelj told reporters on Friday, after being questioned by the anti-corruption agency USKOK, that the investigation in the Fimi Media case, in which the party is suspected of setting up slush funds, was not against the HDZ party, but against the people who ran the party between 2003 and 2 July 2009.
"Those arguments are made up by those who want to drag Jadranka Kosor into this mud at all costs and this way settle the score with the party she is running, although she is the only person with whom Croatia has a chance for a better future," Gredelj said.
He once again dismissed doubts that the HDZ was in any way connected with possible crimes committed by individuals against whom proceedings have been launched.
"I am not the only person in Croatia who sees that the HDZ is suffering damage from this, both material and moral," Gredelj said.
Asked about his strategy in this case, Gredelj said his only task was to make the Croatian people open their eyes.
"I am a legal representative of the HDZ. We will disappoint all reporters who expected lawyers representing criminal organisations. They are not here. I am a lawyer for the HDZ, the party that created the Croatian state, dragged it from the mud and brought it to Europe's threshold. I defend that party. As far as other things are concerned, things that were discussed behind closed doors, you know this is confidential and I cannot discuss it," Gredelj said.
Damir Sesvecan of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), who represents the party in a current investigation into the HDZ as a legal entity over allegations of party slush funds, said only that USKOK investigators were fair during the questioning and declined to answer further questions.
