Breaking lunchtime news in Croatia on 9 December 2010 revealed that former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has fled the country, crossing into Slovenia shortly after state prosecutors requested that the colourful politician's parliamentary immunity from prosecution be lifted. Police spokesman Krunoslav Borovec confirmed that Sanader had crossed into neighbouring Slovenia about 11.10am and was permitted to leave the country as the police had no legal basis to stop him.
Confirmation of the request for lifting of parliamentary immunity was made by a member of the parliamentary committee, Arsen Bauk, to Associated Press. While the full reasons for the request have yet to be disclosed, the request does indicate that Sanader is now officially under investigation. Bauk emphasised that the reasons for the request were confidential.
The speed of the departure has taken many by surprise, including former Presidential candidate Andrija Hebrang, who was interviewed on RTL News. Hebrang and Sanader are from the same party, the ruling HDZ.
Corruption in Croatia
This latest twist in the Sanader story is certain to fuel more speculation in the cafes of Zagreb and beyond. Ever since he abruptly resigned seventeen months ago from a government which was pro-EU in its approach and inching towards European membership, speculation has been rife as to the real story behind the resignation. In a state renowned for its corrupt practices and shocked by the mafia-style assassination of prominent journalist Ivo Pukanic, the greater transparency required for EU entry has led to some high profile corruption cases in recent months.
Following his surprise resignation in July 2009, Sanader indicated that he would be leaving politics for good: "There is always a time in life for a new beginning. Such a moment has come and now it's time for others to take over." (1) In an apparent U-turn in January 2010, he announced that he would be re-entering the Croatian political ring. His announcement was less than welcome in government circles and, after various behind the scenes activity, he was ejected from the party.
The latest high profile corruption case surrounding the former inner circle of Sanader was the successful prosecution of Damir Polancec, Sanader's former Deputy Prime Minister, who is currently serving 15 months in prison for abuse of power, after approving a fictional expense to a lawyer in return for his clients dropping lawsuits against the government.
With Sanader's flight only four hours old, details are still scarce, but what is certain is that there is much, much more to be revealed about Ivo Sanader and his time in government, which is good news for the cafe owners of Zagreb, as speculation is rampant.
(1) Source - Ilic, Igor (2009-07-01). "Croatia's PM Sanander Resigns, Quits Politics." Reuters. Retrieved 2009-07-01
Paul Bradbury - Author of Hvar: An Insider's Guide to Croatia's Premier Island, and Lebanese Nuns Don't Ski
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