Former Croatian premier to return to politics

Oct 14, 2010, 15:48 GMT

Zagreb - Former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader, who abruptly quit politics more than a year ago, on Thursday asked parliament to give him back his seat, potentially paving the way for his political comeback.

Sanader won the seat in 2007 elections, but it was held by a member of the ruling party while he served as a prime minister. Sanader unexpectedly resigned in July 2009 in the middle of his second term. He offered no explanation for his departure.

Experts believe that Sanader has two reasons to return to politics: either to seek to topple the government of Jadranka Kosor, or to win temporary immunity from prosecution for crimes for which he is under investigation, dating to his time as prime minister.

Kosor, once a close ally of Sanader, has severed all ties with him and expelled him from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

Sanader was questioned earlier this week about the circumstances under which the Hungarian company MOL gained a controlling stake in the Croatian oil company INA.

Some of the former prime minister's closest aides have been detained and accused of corruption. Local media speculate that the arrests may be a signal that charges against Sanader are imminent.

After Sanader's resignation, Kosor launched a crackdown on corruption that won praise from the European Union, which Croatia hopes to join soon.

She told reporters in Zagreb that Sanader's return to politics is an attempt to topple her government and the HDZ.

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