Expressing satisfaction that he would reunite with his family after a year, Sanader, dressed in a suit, told numerous reporters and photographers that he was grateful for the support of his family and friends who had mortgaged their property as security for his release and whose friendship he said he would never betray.

He also thanked "known and unknown people" for supporting him through his family and defence team while he was in prison.

He would not comment on the outcome of the December 4 parliamentary election.

"You'll have to get used to the fact that after 20 years I will not give political comments," he said, adding that he was now focused only on proving his innocence. "Everything else will have to wait until the final ruling," Sanader said, instructing reporters to contact his defence team for all information.

Sanader and his attorneys then drove away in a Mercedes SUV to his home in Zagreb's Kozarceva Ulica street.

Before leaving Remetinec, Sanader also said that he still had some problems with his leg which he injured while in custody in Austria, but that everything else was "OK".

No member of the Sanader family was seen in the vicinity of the prison.

A panel of judges of the Zagreb County Court earlier in the day decided to release Sanader from custody after establishing that all conditions had been met to release him on bail.

At a closed-door hearing, the panel found that Sanader's friends had posted EUR 300,000 bail in cash and that relevant courts had registered incumbrances on property put up by his friends and wife so that he could be released on bail during trial.

Sanader gave the court his passport and swore before the panel of judges that he would not hide or leave his residence without the court's prior approval.

He will also have to report to the investigating judge every first Monday of the month as long as necessary.

Sanader will be returned to custody if any bail condition is violated, and if he flees, the HRK 12.6 million bail will go to the state.

Sanader has been behind bars for more than a year. He was arrested by Austrian police on December 10, 2010 and extradited to Croatia on July 18 to face corruption charges.

He is on trial for war profiteering, namely for taking HRK 3.6 million in commission from Austria's Hypo bank and EUR 10 million in bribes to give management rights in the Croatian oil company INA to Hungary's MOL.

Sanader has recently been indicted, together with his former party, the HDZ, in the Fimi Media case. This indictment has not been upheld yet.

Sanader is a suspect in a series of other corruption cases as well.

The trial in the Hypo bank and MOL cases will continue on January 11.