The court has decided to extend the detention sentence for another two months in the case of former Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader, who is under investigation for several corruption affairs and has been in prison ever since July 18, when Austria extradited him to Croatia, because of the risk of fleeing the country.

The debate was held in Remetinec prison in Zagreb early on Wednesday, and arguments were presented both by the defence team, which requested that the defendant should be released from prison, and the Office for Fighting Corruption and Organised Crime, which is in charge of conducting the investigation and which called for Sanader to be remanded in detention.

Sanader was arrested in Austria on December 10, 2010, on an arrest warrant issued by Croatia, and he was kept in the Salzburg prison until July 18, when he was extradited to Croatia.

He is charged with abuse of office and powers during his mandate as the prime minister of Croatia, as well as involvement in a joint criminal enterprise and accepting bribes.

In the meantime, Austrian authorities also initiated proceedings against Sanader on suspicion that he was engaged in money laundering, but no indictment has yet been raised against him.