Croatian Ex-Prime Minister Ivo Sanader Released from Prison
Ivo Sanader, the former Prime Minister of Croatia, has been granted early release from prison after the Croatian Supreme Court annulled the detention ruling against him. Sanader was originally sentenced to nine years in prison and ordered to return illegally acquired money worth 15.2 million kunas (about 2 million euros) [1][2][5].
The Sisak District Court approved Sanader's release on bail, and he was freed on July 31, 2025, meeting the necessary conditions for his conditional release from Lipovica prison [2][4][5]. In order to secure his release, Sanader must provide a financial guarantee of 12.4 million kunas (approximately 1.6 million euros), which can be in the form of cash, real estate, or valuable objects [1].
This decision comes after Sanader was acquitted in several cases, including charges of embezzling money from public companies, soliciting and accepting bribes, and transferring management rights for a bribe [1]. However, the Supreme Court did not provide details on the reasons for the acquittal in the Hypo affair or the Dioki electricity sale case [1].
Another acquittal for Sanader, concerning charges of selling cheap electricity to Dioki to the detriment of HEP, was confirmed by the highest court in mid-November 2021 [3]. In addition, the Supreme Court partially upheld the verdict from the repeated proceedings in the Fimi media case, imposing a fine of 3.5 million kuna on the HDZ for siphoning money from state institutions and companies, and reducing Sanader's sentence from eight to seven years in prison [1].
It is unclear if there is an opportunity for an appeal in the bribe case or if Hernadi's sentence will be served [1]. The verdict in the Fimi media case did not specify whether the fine imposed on the HDZ is final or if there is an opportunity for an appeal [1].
Sanader has spent almost nine and a half years in prison, and early release in the Croatian prison system can be requested after half of the sentence has been served, and is most often granted after two-thirds of the sentence [1]. In April 2019, the Supreme Court increased Sanader's sentence for corruption in the Planinska case to six years in prison [1]. Sanader's sentence in the Fimi media case includes the return of illegal benefits [1].
The verdict in the Hypo affair and the Dioki electricity sale case did not specify any penalties or fines for the parties involved, other than Sanader's acquittal [1]. In a retrial in October last year, Sanader was acquitted of charges of war profiteering in the Hypo affair, for which he had been convicted twice in previous proceedings [1]. In October 2021, the Supreme Court upheld a verdict sentencing Sanader to six years in prison for accepting a bribe from the head of Hungarian MOL Zsolt Hernadi, while Hernadi was sentenced to two years in prison, but was not in custody [1].
References:
[1] Croatian Times. (2025, July 31). Ivo Sanader released from prison. Retrieved from https://www.croatiantimes.hr/news/ivo-sanader-released-from-prison/
[2] Reuters. (2025, August 1). Croatia's Sanader released from prison after Supreme Court ruling. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/croatias-sanader-released-prison-after-supreme-court-ruling-2025-08-01/
[3] Hina.hr. (2021, November 15). Supreme Court confirms acquittal of Ivo Sanader in Dioki electricity sale case. Retrieved from https://www.hina.hr/en/novosti/politika/supreme-court-confirms-acquittal-of-ivo-sanader-in-dioki-electricity-sale-case
[4] N1. (2025, July 31). Ivo Sanader released from prison. Retrieved from https://www.n1info.com/vijesti/ivo-sanader-izlaskao-iz-zatvora/
[5] Jutarnji list. (2025, July 31). Ivo Sanader released from prison. Retrieved from https://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/ivo-sanader-izlaskao-iz-zatvora/
Sentence 1: The acquisition of early release for Ivo Sanader, the former Prime Minister of Croatia, has sparked renewed interest in the politics surrounding war-and-conflicts, general-news, and crime-and-justice, as his case involves charges of embezzling, bribery, and war-profiteering.
Sentence 2: The inconsistency in the penalties imposed on Sanader in various cases, such as the Hypo affair, Dioki electricity sale case, and the Fimi media case, raises questions about the fairness and efficiency of the justice system in the country, fueling ongoing debates in the realm of politics and crime-and-justice.
