The guilty verdict against former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader for abuse of office, graft and war profiteering and the decision to sentence him to ten years' imprisonment was on Tuesday made by the Zagreb County Court which also believes that this could serve as a message to politicians and office-holders to stop perceiving their positions as an opportunity for personal gain but that they should serve the common good.
"Your behaviour has contributed to the people's disappointment in state institutions and have led to a feeling of general apathy and despondence. You have created an impression that it is pointless to work for the common good and that goals may be accomplished by violating laws and disrespecting the ethics of the society," said Judge Ivan Turudic who presided the panel of judges in the trial in which Sanader was charged with war profiteering in the Hypo Alpe Adria case and with bribe taking in the INA-MOL case.
Judge Turudic also believes that the enforcement of appropriate sentences and penalties must have an impact on the awareness of the citizens which is why the judge treats the conviction and the sentence for Sanader as a message that crime does not pay and that perpetrators will be punished.
"In light of the fact that you committed criminal offences while performing the duties as a senior official, the message included in this conviction applies to political office-holders at all levels. You abused your powers for your own personal gain and you did not work for the common good, which you were supposed to do," Turudic said.
The mitigating circumstances for Sanader was the time span since the crimes were committed and the fact that he is a family man.
"However, aggravating circumstances overshadow the mitigating factors," the judge said who also criticised Sanader for not only damaging Croatian vital interests by his wrongdoing in the cases of the Hypo bank and the MOL-INA but he also damaged Croatia's reputation abroad.
Former Prime Minister Sanader has been found guilty of war profiteering in the Hypo Alpe Adria Bank case and of bribe taking in the INA-MOL case and has been sentenced to a single prison term of 10 years, the Zagreb County Court ruled on Tuesday. He has the right to appeal.
Sanader was given a sentence of three and a half years for receiving a commission of 3.6 million kuna (480,000 euros) in 1994 and in 1995, which qualifies as war profiteering because at that time Croatia was at war. He received seven and a half years for taking a bribe from the CEO of the Hungarian oil company MOL in exchange for securing it controlling rights in the INA oil company.
The panel of judges ordered him to pay back 41.1 million kuna (5.4 million euros).
The court found that Sanader had received five million euros from MOL, while prosecutors claimed he had taken twice that amount.
The former prime minister took the sentence calmly, without showing any emotion. After the hearing he was transferred to Remetinec prison.
