One of Sanader's Zagreb attorneys, Goran Suic, told media that police came to Sanader's residence to search the garage. He could not give any other details, adding that a member of the defence team, Jasna Novak, was on the scene.

Suic confirmed that the defence team filed a complaint against the temporary seizure of valuable art works.

"We filed a complaint and we are waiting for the Zagreb County Court to decide on it and on previous complaints concerning the blockade of the business premises and bank accounts of the former prime minister and members of his immediate family, his wife and daughter," Suic said.

Zagreb County Court spokesman Kresimir Devcic said the court had still not decided on the complaints filed by Sanader's defence team.

Suic also said that they had not received from the anti-corruption agency USKOK any response to their request to examine and copy the case file.

Under the new Law on Criminal Procedure, the defendant and his defence counsel have the right to examine the file after the defendant is questioned.

The media report that Sanader's wife Mirjana today would not let police investigators enter the Sanader family residence without the presence of an attorney, and that she did so only after attorney Novak arrived at Kozarceva Street.

Court distrainors, assisted by police, were yesterday listing the art works at Sanader's home. Around midnight, the art works were taken to the Museum of Modern Art, where they will be kept until a final court decision.

Sanader's art collection was temporarily seized so that the state could ensure the collection of damages if the former PM is found guilty of corruption in cases involving the Fimi Media advertising agency and the HEP power company, which is why he is under investigation by USKOK.

There is no official information about the number or value of the seized works of art, mostly paintings. The media speculate about some 200 works whose value reportedly exceeds by far the HRK 1.5 million Sanader stated in his declaration of assets.

Officials at USKOK again would not reveal any of the details regarding the proceedings against Sanader, citing as the reason the confidentiality of investigations.