"I worked with Sanader on and off for virtually 15 years and I never heard him mention Fimi Media", Matkovic testified adding that she had no knowledge that the party had anything to do with the agency as the party's marketing activities were conducted by a company called Masol.

Matkovic further testified that she had never heard of any slush fund which the anti-corruption body USKOK alleges existed. According to the indictment in this case, millions of kuna were syphoned into the party through Fime Media from various state-owned institutions and companies.

"I had never heard that money was spent other than that of the party's account and there was no need for any slush fund as the party had sufficient funds, at least the secretary-general led us to believe so", she said.

Like most other defence witnesses so far, this former minister, state secretary and chief of staff in Sanader's cabinet claimed that many people had referred to Sanader's authority of their own accord and that Sanader had delegated party officials and local organisations to act independently.

"That referred to professionals like the treasurer, cashier and secretary-general", she said which refuted some witnesses including HDZ's former treasurer Mladen Barisic and cashier Branka Pavosevic who admitted the charges to USKOK as did former owner of Fimi Media Nevenka Jurak.

Contrary to former testimonies given by some other witnesses, Matkovic said today that she had never seen Jurak in the party headquarters, the government building or at any party ceremonious.

Matkovic is amongst those who allegedly received payments from the slush fund, she however said that she had received some cash payments from the party's cashier which were advances for "field work".

The trial is to continue on April 2.