After a year and a half of investigation, the national anti-corruption office USKOK has issued another indictment against former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, Vjesnik newspaper said on its website.
In the new indictment, Sanader, the former owner of the petrochemical group Dioki Grupa and Novi List newspaper, Robert Jezic, and the former CEO of the state-owed power company HEP, Ivan Mravak, are reportedly charged with the sale of electricity to Dioki at lower prices than the market rates in 2008 and 2009, whereby HEP was defrauded of millions of kuna.
The report could not be immediately confirmed officially, but Mravak's lawyer Branko Seric told the media that the investigation in this case was at an end. "Whether an indictment has been issued or not, I don't know, but I will be able to say more once I receive it," the lawyer said.
Sanader's lawyer Jadranka Slokovic also said they had not yet received a copy of the indictment, while USKOK spokesman Vuk Djuricic declined to comment.
According to Vjesnik, Sanader and Jezic incited Mravak to sell Dioki electricity at a subsidised price whereby two of Jezic's companies earned a total of 3.8 million kuna (approximately 500,000 euros). Mravak is suspected of granting, on Sanader's urging, a 15 million kuna (2 million euro) loan to Dioki's affiliates without the formal approval of the HEP Management Board.
In February, while questioned by USKOK investigators, Sanader dismissed the suspicions that he had abused his position and powers as Prime Minister and leader of the ruling HDZ party.
Jezic has reportedly also denied any wrongdoing, while Mravak has reportedly admitted to the charges.
