Former PM Sanader jailed for 10 years for corruption

(20 Nov 2012) SHOTLIST
1. Mid tracking shot of former Croatian prime Minister Ivo Sanader and his lawyer arriving at the court surrounded by media
2. Zoom in to Sanader in courtroom listening to verdict
3. Mid of Judge Ivan Turudic reading verdict
4. Various of Sanader standing in courtroom listening to verdict
5. Mid of Sanader standing in the courtroom, listening to verdict, zoom into close up; UPSOUND: Ivan Turudic, presiding judge (Croatian):
"On the basis of the decision under article 337, for the crime under point one (of the Criminal Law) Ivo Sanader is sentenced to a prison term of three years and six months and for the crime from point 2 (of the same article) he is sentenced to seven years and six months in prison. Under article 60, point 1 (of the Criminal Law), the accused Ivo Sanader is therefore given a combined sentence of ten years in prison."
6. Wide of media gathered around Sanader's lawyer Cedo Prodanovic, zoom in to lawyer giving statement UPSOUND: (Croatian) Cedo Prodanovic, Sanader's lawyer: "We will appeal the verdict, apart from legal grounds for appeal, we have other realistic grounds for that."
7. Mid of Prodanovic pushing through crowd of journalists, walking down the street while being booed and jeered by some of the people around
8. SOUNDBITE: (Croatian) Tamara Laptos, Prosecutor:
"First of all, we are satisfied with the verdict. As far as prison sentence is concerned, you know that we asked for maximum sentence (of 15 years), but we have yet to decide whether or not to appeal. We will make that decision once we receive the written copy of the verdict."
9. Pull out from close of windshield of police van taking Sanader from the court to mid of van
10. Mid of van carrying Sander to prison travelling through streets with police escort and arriving at Remetinac prison
STORYLINE
Former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader was sentenced to ten years in prison for bribery on Tuesday, after a trial that was closely monitored by the country's future partners in the European Union (EU).
Sanader, 59, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2009, is the highest ranking former government official to ever be tried for corruption in Croatia, which has pledged to root out corruption as it becomes an EU member in July 2013.
Sanader was found guilty of accepting a 13 (m) million dollar (ten (m) million euros) bribe from Hungarian oil company MOL in return for securing it controlling rights in Croatia's state oil company INA.
He was also found guilty of receiving 695-thousand dollars (545-thousand euros) in kickbacks for a lucrative credit deal with Hypo Alpe Adria Group that gave the Austrian bank a leading position on the Croatian market.
Presiding judge Ivan Turudic announced the combined sentence.
"On the basis of the decision under article 337 , for the crime under point one (of the Criminal Law) Ivo Sanader is sentenced to a prison term of three years and six months and for the crime from point 2 (of the same article) he is sentenced to seven years and six months in prison. Under article 60, point 1 (of the Criminal Law), the accused Ivo Sanader is therefore given a combined sentence of ten years in prison," he said.
The judge also ruled that Sanader was guilty of "war profiteering" while Croatia fought for independence from Yugoslavia and when he served as deputy foreign minister.
Sanader, who was free during most of the trial, appeared emotionless in the courtroom as the verdict was read.
He was led away by security guards to prison to start serving his sentence after the lengthy verdict was read. His lawyers said they will appeal the verdict.


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