The parliament's Credentials and Privileges Commission on Monday granted the Croatian anti-corruption investigative agency's (USKOK) request to launch criminal proceedings against independent member of parliament and former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader after the USKOK last week filed the first indictment against Sanader, accusing him of abuse of office as a deputy foreign minister in 1994 and 1995 and taking HRK 3.6 million in kickbacks for a loan the government obtained from Austria's Hypo bank.
The commission unanimously voted to strip Sanader of immunity from the criminal proceedings. The decision took effect immediately and at its forthcoming autumn meeting the parliament would formally approve it.
Sanader is accused of abusing office from late 1994 to March 1995 by negotiating with Hypo representatives, in Zagreb and in Austria, a loan for Croatia which, because of the war, high inflation and extremely high interest rates, had trouble finding banks at home from which to borrow.
USKOK claims that Sanader agreed a commission in the amount of seven million Austrian schillings (HRK 3.6 million), which he received in full after the Hypo bank and the Croatian government signed a loan agreement in the amount of 140 million schillings for the purchase and equipping of diplomatic offices.
USKOK accuses Sanader of abuse of office under a law stipulating that there is no statute of limitations on war profiteering in ownership transformation and privatisation. The indictment proposes that the HRK 3.6 million Sanader earned illegally be seized from him.
Apart from the Hypo bank case, Sanader is under investigation in several other corruption cases in which he is suspected of abuse of office, conspiracy to commit crimes, and taking bribes. Sanader has rejected all accusations.
