Ivo Sanader: I Walked Away Becasue of Slovenia

Former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, appearing on the nation’s most popular talk show “Nedjeljom u 2” (Sunday at 2) today, said the main reason he suddenly walked away from politics in 2009 was because Slovenia was blocking Croatia’s entry into the European Union and he refused to give up any territory. Sanader says that if he did not agree with a juntion between Slovenia and Croatia and if he continued to be Croatia’s Prime Minsiter, then there is no way Croatia would have entered the EU.

Sanader, who walked away from politics and was later arrested in 2010 and spent over a year in jail on remand, is currently on trial accused of siphoning off more than 10 million euros from state companies during his time in power.

Sanader also accused Croatia’s State Attorney Mladen Bajic of falsifying the testimonies of witnesses in the case against him because he was under political order from Jadranka Kosor, who took over from Sanader as Croatia’s Prime Minister when he walked away.

When Sanader was asked what he is living off, he replied by telling host Aleksandar Stankovic that he lives off his wife’s salary and his pension, a total of close to 3,000 euros a month. Sanader says that his team of lawyers are working “pro bono”.

Near the end of the talk show Stankovic put some viewers questions to the former Prime Minister. “Where is the all the money Ivo?”, quizzed one viewer, to which Sanader replied “You will get that information at the end of the process,”. The trial continues.