Committee chair Nevenka Majdenic of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said that on June 16 Sanader sent the Committee a letter informing it that he had reactivated his term as an MP and asking it to pass a decision granting him the right to pay, given that in late May his employment contract with the Alica Savjetovanje firm expired.

Majdenic said the committee decision was based on two laws regulating MPs' benefits - the law on the entitlements and obligations of state officials and the law on the entitlements and obligations of members of Parliament.

According to unofficial sources, Sanader will receive a salary in the amount of slightly more than HRK 16,000 (approx. EUR 2,200).

The vote on the decision was preceded by a 30-minute debate during which all committee members agreed that under relevant laws Sanader had the right to a salary as an MP even though he was in custody, but they differed on how and whether he deserved that salary.

Social Democrat Zeljka Antunovic said that in the past two terms, her party had warned frequently, based on obvious indications, about "the corrupt character of the government headed by Ivo Sanader."

"However, no one in the government or in the investigative bodies responded to those warnings. Now it is completely meaningless to discuss something that is a legal right, but politically speaking, political responsibility rests with all those who watched plunder in Croatia for years, knew about it but kept silent about it," she said.

Krunoslav Markovinovic of the HDZ said his party had warned about corruption in the coalition government led by the Social Democratic Party (SDP). "The HDZ and the entire government have had enough strength to support the prosecution of those who went wrong, while the SDP protected those linked with criminal activity and plans to come to power one day with them," he said.