The Carinthian assembly's commission of inquiry into the Hypo bank wants to interview former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, who is in custody in Salzburg, the Austrian news agency APA said on Wednesday.
The commission made a decision to that effect at a closed session in Klagenfurt today, deputy chairman Johann Gallo said, adding that December 22 was a possible date for the hearing, which could be carried out via video link.
Sanader has been in custody since Friday, when the Austrian police arrested him on a warrant from Croatia, which suspects him of abuse of office in two cases, APA said, adding he might have acquired illegal gain in operations with the Carinthian Hypo bank.
One case refers to a DEM 4 million loan approved to Croatian businessman Miroslav Kutle in which Sanader allegedly mediated and took DEM 800,000 in kickbacks. Sanader has dismissed these claims, saying he never took kickbacks for mediation in the approval of a Hypo loan or received any other illegal payments, said APA.
