Former Deputy Prime Minister Damir Polancec confirmed on Tuesday that he, too, was being investigated as part of the latest probe launched by the anti-corruption investigating agency USKOK into former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, noting that he had been tricked and manipulated if it proved true that the former PM had taken bribes.
"If it is true that Sanader took bribes as alleged in the investigation order - then I feel to have been tricked and manipulated like all government members and members of the HDZ Presidency," Polancec said in a statement.
He said that during negotiations with Hungary's oil company MOL on the privatisation of the Croatian oil company INA he did not have the mandate to make any decisions.
"All key decisions were made by the HDZ Presidency and by the Inner Cabinet, so I don't understand how come I'm the only suspect again," Polancec said.
"I worked in the best faith and to the best of my knowledge, and when the Croatian government adopted the agreements, I believed, just like all the other members of the government who voted for those agreements did, that the agreements protected Croatia's vital interests," said Polancec.
He added that after returning from a trip early next week his defence attorney would arrange his deposition to USKOK which he said did not suspect him of bribe-taking.
USKOK confirmed earlier in the day that it had launched a new investigation into Sanader on suspicion that he abused his office and powers together with two other persons, and that he took bribes.
Sanader is allegedly suspected of taking 10 million euros in bribes from MOL Management Board chairman Zsolt Hernadi in exchange for ceding to MOL management rights in INA. Polancec allegedly helped Sanader do so.
MOL dismissed the allegations in the strongest terms, as did Sanader through his lawyers. Sanader is in custody in Salzburg, awaiting extradition to Croatia where he is wanted for involvement in several corruption scandals.
