"I feel symptoms of high blood pressure [today], just as I have over the past few weeks," he said. "I feel pressure in my chest."
He went straight to the hospital after his appearance before the court.
The former prime minister is accused of accepting a €500,000 bribe from Austrian Bank Hypo Alpe Adria in 1995, given in exchange for ensuring the bank’s entry into Croatia’s market. At the time Sanader was serving as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Judge Turudić sought the opinion of an expert medical witness, who said that Sanader was not fit to stand trial today due to his poor health. He added that today’s hearing could aggravate the former prime minister’s pre-existing health condition due to the high level of stress involved.
Judge Turudić reprimanded the defendant for scheduling aa coronary exam on the same day as his trial hearing, saying that Sanader should have completed his medical exams prior to the beginning of his trial, which he had ample time to do.
The investigation against Sanader is led by the Croatian Bureau for Combating of Corruption and Organized Crime, or USKOK. Prosecutor Tamara Laptoš said that USKOK will call19 witnesses to testify. The first witnesses will be former minister of foreign affairs Mate Granić, and Nikica Valentić, who was the Croatian prime minister in 1995, when Sander allegedly accepted the bribe from Hypo Alpe Adria.
The trial will resume on November 3.
