According to Croatian newspaper Jutarnji list, the Constitutional Court has overturned former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader’s verdict and demanded the retrial of the case.
Citing two independent but unofficial sources, the paper said Croatia’s Constitutional Court has overturned a verdict in which Sanader was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison in the Hypo and INA-Mol cases.
It is unclear at this point whether this ruling was delivered unanimously, what were the key considerations and what specific consequences the ruling will have, but it is certain that Ivo Sander’s case will require a retrial.
The ruling does not mean Sanader can leave prison because he was remanded in custody in another case.
Croatian weekly Nacional reported on May that Sanader turned to the Constitutional Court, projecting that the judges would request a retrial which could lead to add to domestic political tensions.
Sanader was given a 10-yr prison sentence in November 2012 for taking a EUR 10 million bribe from Mol in exchange for allowing it a dominant role in INA. Sanader and Mol denied wrongdoing. The Supreme Court lowered the sentence to 8.5 years last year.
According to the accusation, it was Mol Chairman-CEO Zsolt Hernádi who bribed Sanader. Croatia is also trying him in absentia.
Our opinion: The overturn of the case would be a positive development of MOL. Croatia accused MOL’s chairman, Mr. Hernadi of bribery in case of INA acquisition. The overturn of the legal case could help the Hungarian company to clarify its Croatian situation and to amend the hostile relationship.
The Sanader case is of vital importance for Mol in its battle with Zagreb over INA. The Constitutional Court ruling clearly indicates that the case is now at the highest political level, while finding Sanader guilty had greatly decreased chance of a mutual agreement between the parties. The overturn of the case may help shed new light on the Mol-INA story.
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