"We will appeal that decision by the Zagreb County Court investigating judge and, speaking in principle, we will appeal everything that can be appealed," one of the attorneys, Ivan Lovric, told media.

The seizure has not begun yet, although distraint officers, accompanied by police and investigators, arrived at Sanader's villa at 9 am. A van expected to take the art collection is parked in front of the house and police have put caution tape around it.

The temporary seizure of the works of art was allowed by the investigating judge at the request of the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK).

According to the media, an art historian is at Sanader's villa to help appraise the collection.

Lovric confirmed that Sanader's wife Mirjana had already lodged appeals requesting the court to unseal the family's offices in Sarengradska Street worth HRK 5.8 million as well as unfreeze their bank accounts.

She claims the offices were bought with a Zagrebacka Banka loan insured with three blank bills and a debenture bond. USKOK investigators suspect the loan is merely a cover.

Sanader's art collection is being seized as collateral so the state can collect money if the former PM is found guilty of abuse of office in unlawful operations involving the power supply company HEP and the petrochemical company Dioki and of conspiracy to siphon funds from ministries and public companies via the Fimi Media marketing agency.

According to some media, another reason for seizing the art collection is USKOK's attempt to prove that Sanader bought paintings with money siphoned from state companies.

The media claim the former PM has a valuable art collection, mainly works by Croatian painters whose value far exceeds the HRK 1.5 million Sanader declared.

In Salzburg earlier today, Sanader was remanded in custody for a month and once again would not take a position on Croatia's plea for his extradition. The next hearing has been scheduled for January 27.