Former Croatian PM Behind Bars Amid Corruption Probe

Former Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader (file photo)

Croatia's former prime minister, Ivo Sanader, is behind bars in a Zagreb prison as an investigation continues into allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

The 58-year-old Sanader, who led the government from 2003 until 2009, was detained in Austria in early December on a Croatian warrant. He was extradited from Austria late on July 18.

Sanader's return comes at a sensitive time for the ruling Croatian Democratic Union party, which is lagging in public opinion polls just months before general elections.

Sanader is suspected of involvement in a string of multimillion-euro corruption affairs, but has not been officially charged.

Local media reports in Zagreb say he is expected to remain in custody for a month and be questioned by anticorruption prosecutors later this week.

compiled from agency reports