At the High Court in Celje a public hearing regarding the appeal has begun today. Krašovec had been sentenced to two years in prison for abetting fraud in obtaining EU funds for the restoration of the Betnava mansion. Petra Bezjak from RTV Slovenia has reported that Mirko Krašovec's appeal stated that the two witnesses, former manager of Betnava Dragica Marinič and head of the investment in Maribor's archdiocese Anton Ekart, were non-credible. Krašovec says there is no reason that the two should be trusted, noting that they burdened him to defend their own interests.

The witnesses stressed that Krašovec promised to cover for them and that he had been informed on all the illegalities. The Judge-Rapporteur has presented evidence that Marinič and Ekart were the ones who had signed the disputed documents, with which Betnava illegally acquired EUR 1.7 million of European funding, Bezjak also reported.

Translated by: I.U., Rsi