Ivo Sanader was examined; he has no serious health issues

The trial of the former PM Ivo Sanader in case Hypo ended after 45 minutes due to his bad health condition. The judge Ivan Turudic accepted the notice of the expert witness Gapsarovic who said that Sanader wasn’t capable to start the court hearing due to the bad heart condition until he finished his medical examination. Turudic expressed hope for Sanader to complete the examinations so he could be ready for the next hearing scheduled for the next week.

1.45. p.m. According to the information off the record, Sanader passed the koronarographia examination without any complications. The doctors say that there was no need for stent implantation despite of Sanader’s narrowed heart vessels. They added that the patient would be hospitalized for two days since it was an invasive examination.

11.30. a.m. Sanader came to the hospital of KBC Rebro.

10.55. a.m. The judge Turudic and the prosecutor Laptos didn’t want to make any comments after leaving the court halls.

10.50. a.m. Sanader was immediately transferred to the medical examination at KBC Zagreb.

10.45. a.m. Sanader’s lawyer Jadranka Slokovic stated that Sanader was examined in September but the results didn’t show any complications.

10.20. a.m. The judge Turudic turned to Sanader:

- I think it is not right you didn’t carry out the necessary medical procedure although you had a possibility of doing so from the 5^th of September on. We won’t interpret this act as the  intent of the process procrastination although it seems so - explained the judge.

10.15. a.m. The court hearing ended due to the medical problems of the former PM. The next hearing was scheduled for the 3^rd and the 4^th of November.

10.10. a.m. The expert witness Gasparovic confirmed that they had received the Sanader’s medical files. He said Sanader was verified with irregular heartbeat with the high blood pressure and the extrasistole. The judge Turudic asked the witness if Sanader was capable of going on with the hearing. The witness said he thought that the blood vessels examination was the priority.

- I think the patient is not capable to proceed the hearing - said the expert witness.

10.10. a.m. Sanader leaves the court stand and Vladimir Gaparovic, the permanent court witness arrives in order to give the opinion of Sanader’s health condition.

10.08. a.m.

- This is the case of  irresponsible behavior - said Turudic.

- What can I say, the same thing was when I had the health problems with my leg, let the experts decide - Sanader commented.

- All right - the judge responds - What is your stand?

- I’ll accept the expert witness stand - Sanader replies.

10.00 a.m.

- How do you feel? - the judge asked.

- Same as during the last two weeks. I feel the same symptoms of extrasistole, the high blood pressure, and I feel pressure in my chest - Sanader responds.

- Was your blood pressure measured today? - asks Turudic.

- Today I have high blood pressure, as yesterday - Sanader replies.

- Do you consider yourself uncapable to present the hearing and to answer the questions? - the judge asked.

- I usually behave as my doctors and lawyer advise me to - the former PM answered.

9.57. a.m.

- I want to apologize for my clothes, for not wearing a suit. I asked the doctors for medial examination last Sunday for my blood pressure and arrhythmia. Our infirmary scheduled the examination at the hospital of KBC Rebro. And I was told to go to the hospital this morning. I have to say I was at the medical exams at Rebro on the 5^th of September. That’s when they told me I have to go to koronarographia. I thought I would be bailed out from the custody, but since they didn’t release me I asked for the examination that was scheduled for today - said Sanader.

9.52. a.m. Turudic asked Sanader:

- Before the beginning of the hearing we are informed you have some medical issues. What it is all about?

9.50. a.m. The photographers left the courtroom. The trial has begun.

9.48. a.m. The court council entered the courtroom. The photographers are taking pictures of Sanader.

9.47. a.m. Sanader entered the courtroom with the crutch and without the handcuffs. He wore a regular dark T-shirt.

9.31. a.m.  Everybody is waiting for the trial to begin. The trial process is led by the judge Ivan Turudic. The prosecutor is Tamara Laptos, the deputy of the USKOK principal.

9.21. a.m. The Sanader’s defense team (Jadranka Slokovic, Cedo Prodanovic and Goran Suic) arrived to the trial. They passed through the main entrance of the court building.

9.18. a.m. Sanader entered the court building through the back doors.

9.15. a.m. Sanader arrived to the County Court in Zagreb in the protected vehicle.

8.50. a.m. Sanader left the Remetinec prison and headed to the County Court in Zagreb.

8.45. a.m. The news-reporters started to enter the building of the county Court. Around 40 news agencies were accredited. 

Huge media interest

The first appearance of the former PM in the large courtroom of the Zagreb County Court was covered by 41 news agencies. According to the trial data, 41 of those news agencies (of every countries in a close distance, as Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia) - submitted the request for accreditations of 200 news-reporters. Even worldwide media is interested in Sanader’s trial, so the news reporter of BBC, Al Jezeera, Chinese news agency Xinhua, Reuters and AP also asked for the accreditations for their new reporters.

The largest court in Croatia, the Zagreb County court is under the media blockade because at 9.30 a.m. the former most powerful person of Croatia will enter the courtroom as a defendant. He is Ivo Sanader, the former PM and the former HDZ president, as the president of the party that is nowadays under the investigation and accusations of being involved in corruption.

He will defend himself regarding the first point of the accusation about Hypo case where he is being charged for the abuse of the position and the authority and 3.6 million HRK of damage, and for the war profiteering as well.