First indictment issued against ex-Croat PM

The Croatian Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime has raised the first indictment against former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader. The indictment refers to the case of Hypo Bank, and it charges Sanader with taking HRK 3.7 million (about EUR 500,000) of bribe in March 1995, whereby he committed the criminal act of abuse of office and authority. First indictment issued against ex-Croat PM According to the Croatian daily Jutarnji List, the Croatian state prosecution stated in March that, based on the gathered evidence and documentation, a warrant had been issued to carry out an investigation against Sanader. The investigation was conducted on reasonable suspicion that, from the autumn of 1994 until March 1995, (the then foreign minister of Croatia) Sanader arranged with the Hypo Bank to be paid a ATS 7 million commission in cash. The amount was paid after a contract was concluded between the bank and the Croatian government in the amount of ATS 140 million. Sanader thus unlawfully gained the amount of at least HRK 3.7 million, the prosecutor's office claims. After he was extradited from Austria to Croatia on July 18, Sanader gave a statement regarding the Hypo Bank case, refusing to answer the questions of the investigators of the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime. Ivo Sanader (Tanjug, file)

First indictment issued against ex-Croat PM

According to the Croatian daily Jutarnji List, the Croatian state prosecution stated in March that, based on the gathered evidence and documentation, a warrant had been issued to carry out an investigation against Sanader. The investigation was conducted on reasonable suspicion that, from the autumn of 1994 until March 1995, (the then foreign minister of Croatia) Sanader arranged with the Hypo Bank to be paid a ATS 7 million commission in cash.

The amount was paid after a contract was concluded between the bank and the Croatian government in the amount of ATS 140 million. Sanader thus unlawfully gained the amount of at least HRK 3.7 million, the prosecutor's office claims.

After he was extradited from Austria to Croatia on July 18, Sanader gave a statement regarding the Hypo Bank case, refusing to answer the questions of the investigators of the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime.