The Austrian judicial authorities have referred to Croatia a money laundering case against former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader after the Croatian authorities have approved such request by Austrian state prosecutors investigating economic crime and corruption, the Austrian State Prosecutor's Office announced on Tuesday.
The case will be conducted in Croatia, spokesman for the Austrian State Prosecutor's Office Martin Ulrich told Austrian news agency APA.
A Tyrol bank filed a report on suspected money laundering in December 2010 after finding 1.3 million euros in the bank accounts of Sanader or his family.
Sanader's defence counsel said that it was the money he had earned before his political career. Sanader also dismissed accusations that he had received a commission from Austria's Hypo Alpe Adria Bank.
The Austrian State Prosecutor's Office asked the Croatian judicial authorities earlier this year to take over the money laundering case given that the crime Sanader is suspected of was committed in Croatia and that Sanader was now in Croatia.
Should Sanader be acquitted of the charges in Croatia, the Austrian authorities said they would close the case too.
