Jezic, the key witness in the case, said that at one of the meetings in Sanader's office in late 2008, the former PM, then his close friend, asked him if it would be possible to organise the transfer of a large amount of money from abroad which he (Sanader) expected to receive.

"I replied that it should not be a problem in principle," Jezic said, adding that he accepted Sanader's request because at the time Sanader was one of the most powerful people in Croatia and it was not wise to refuse his requests.

"It was particularly so in my case, because I'm a businessman and owner of a company that depends on state-owned companies. I was aware that turning down a request or favour would not be taken well," Jezic said.

He said that Sanader made his request "more concrete in early 2009", explaining that he should receive 10 million euros from MOL for consulting services.

"I replied that it could be arranged and that I would consult about details with my colleagues in Switzerland," Jezic said. He added that he explained to Sanader that the transaction should be "carried out in line with business customs, that it had to have a formal framework, and that there had to be a time period during which the money would be paid."

The witness said that when he told Sanader that such a transaction required a 20-percent commission, Sanader replied "You would not be charging me a commission?".

Jezic said also during the investigation in this case that a part of MOL's bribe to Sanader had been paid through his Swiss companies, but Sanader's lawyers have insisted that by incriminating Sanader Jezic is trying to secure for himself a better position in a number of other investigations in which he is charged with serious crimes.

MOL, too, has dismissed Jezic's allegations, and Hungarian prosecutorial authorities earlier this year suspended an investigation into former MOL CEO Zsolt Hernadi who, according to Croatian prosecutors, gave Sanader a bribe of 10 million euros for management rights in INA.

Before it discontinued the investigation into Hernadi, Hungarian prosecutors turned down several requests by Croatian prosecutorial authorities to interview Hernadi, citing protection of national interests.

Jezic faces charges together with Sanader also in another case, in which the former PM is suspected of abusing his powers to make it possible for Dioki to buy electricity from the state-owned power supplier HEP at prices below market prices and of making the HEP management pay a HRK 15 million loan to Jezic. Sanader is also charged with trying to obtain for Dioki an unlawful gain of EUR 10 million to the detriment of the state-run oil pipeline operator JANAF, for which Jezic allegedly rewarded him with a BMW worth HRK 4.2 million.