After former Prime Minister and HDZ president Ivo Sanader completed his defense in the Hypo and Ina-MOL cases, the prosecution has its closing statements.
– We have undoubtedly proven through this process that Ivo Sanader abused his position and authority and received a bribe in the evidentiary process – said Deputy Director of USKOK, Prosecutor Tamara Laptoš.
The prosecutor stated that, although Sanader is trying to minimize his role in the negotiations, witnesses say that he was actually the chief negotiator.
Sanader’s abuse lies in using his position to obtain a commission of 3.6 million kuna, which needs to be confiscated. Additionally, this is war profiteering as the Homeland War was ongoing at that time, 50 percent of the budget was allocated for the war, and funds could not be extracted from the budget, the prosecutor explained.
Ivo Sanader dismissed the charges of war profiteering in the Hypo affair at the County Court in Zagreb, later stating that he did not relinquish management rights in INA for a bribe of 10 million euros to the Hungarian MOL.
I reject the insinuation of USKOK and Robert Ježić. I did not ask for, nor did I receive, a bribe from MOL, the former prime minister stated.
