Ivo Sanader began presenting his defense at the County Court in Zagreb in the Ina-MOL case. After rejecting accusations of war profiteering in the Hypo affair yesterday, he stated today that he did not relinquish management rights in Ina for a bribe of 10 million euros to the Hungarian MOL.
I reject the insinuation from USKOK and Robert Ježić. I did not request or receive a bribe from MOL, the former prime minister stated.
He claims that during his term, MOL had 25% and the state had 75% ownership in Ina. Seven percent of the shares were then transferred to defenders, 7% to Ina employees, and 15% to Croatian citizens and investors on the stock exchange. After 2008, when the ‘lock up’ period ended, MOL acquired about 48% of the shares by buying them from citizens, employees, and defenders. The balance of power changed. The government wanted to increase its stake in MOL, but it would receive one share of MOL for three shares of Ina, Sanader said.
Negotiations with MOL were led by a commission headed by Damir Polančec, who never received an order from me that negotiations had to end in this way or that way, nor did I ever pressure Polančec or any other member of the commission or ministers, the former prime minister asserted. He added that major political decisions always went through all government working bodies, and prior to that, the Presidency of the HDZ, and that he did not suppress discussions but insisted on them.
