HDZ verdict is a turning point for political transparency

HDZ verdict is a turning point for political transparency

HDZ is the first political party in the EU to be found guilty of corruption.

Former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader (centre) was sentenced to nine years in prison in the Fimi Media case. [AFP]

The conviction of former Croatia Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for corruption is a warning to all political parties, experts and politicians said.

The HDZ, which ruled Croatia for 16 years, on March 11th became the first political party to be found guilty of corruption in the EU.

The party, which is currently in opposition, was ordered to pay back about 3.8 million euros.

"It is extremely important that HDZ as a party was found guilty of corruption. With this verdict, the judiciary in Croatia has sent a clear message that its job is to protect citizens from corruption. This is also a warning to all other political parties on what is waiting for them if they start to behave like HDZ," Davor Gjenero, a professor at Zagreb's Faculty of Political Science, told SETimes.

Authorities said Sanader headed a scheme that siphoned almost 2 million euros from state-run firms and institutions through the Fimi Media marketing agency from 2003 to 2009, making illegal financial gains for the HDZ and himself. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Former HDZ treasurer Mladen Barisic was sentenced to three years in prison, former HDZ chief accountant Branka Pavosevic to a year and a half, Fimi Media owner Nevenka Jurak to two years and former HDZ and government spokesman Ratko Macek was given a one-year sentence, suspended for four years. Jurak was ordered to pay back 350,000 euros.

HDZ criticised the ruling. "We will appeal...