"We have been waiting for years for state institutions to start doing their job. We spoke about it... during the election campaign back in 2007. Now it is probably clear to everyone how the personal wealth of many people was acquired and how at least one election campaign was financed. That was clear to us back in 2007," Milanovic said.

Milanovic started his press conference by asking reporters, "despite the turbulent developments of the last few minutes in the parliament's Credentials and Privileges Commission", not to treat the topic of the Croatian oil company INA, which was the reason for his calling the news conference, as a matter of lesser importance, but as a topic of the utmost importance for Croatia's national interests.

"What is currently going on in the Credentials and Privileges Commission has to do primarily with relations inside the HDZ and with what the HDZ has been doing in recent years, however, INA is an even more important topic for us and if we don't speak about it now - and the next few days may be very important - there is a danger that it will become a second-rate topic," Milanovic told reporters.

The Croatian parliament this morning received a classified document from the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor (DORH), and the media speculated that the document was a request to strip Sanader, now an independent member of Parliament, of immunity for the purpose of criminal prosecution.

"We don't gloat at anyone's misery, but justice must be served, it must be done, and those who failed to do it in the past years, either intentionally or because they did not want to rock the boat, they should at least bear moral responsibility for it," Milanovic said.

Milanovic said he was confident that the HDZ leadership had been very much aware of what Sanader was reportedly charged with, "and if they were not, it means that they are not competent for much less responsible tasks than the ones they are now in charge of."

Asked if he now expected an early parliamentary election, Milanovic said that he did not expect the government to step down.

"They have shown absolute resistance to any kind of criticism, common-sense evidence, moral pressure or personal responsibility. To expect that someone will now contritely admit that they are morally responsible for all of this is an illusion."

Reporters today also approached President Ivo Josipovic for comment on reports about the request for stripping Sanader of immunity.

Josipovic, who was attending an event marking the International Anti-Corruption Day and a presentation of a Transparency International survey on corruption, only said that he expected fair proceedings.

Chief State Prosecutor Mladen Bajic declined to comment.

The chairman of the National Council monitoring the implementation of the national anti-corruption strategy, Zeljko Jovanovic, said that the news of DORH's request was good news on International Anti-Corruption Day.