In an investigation request submitted to the Split County Court in mid February, the County Prosecutor's Office also sought detention for Macek, Vukasovic and Luetic, but Judge Cambj did not grant the request, saying the suspects could not longer influence the witnesses.
The Prosecutor's Office had also sought a temporary ban on Macek's property, but a decision on that request will be made at a later date, Cambj told reporters.
The investigation will cover 35 witnesses, of whom six live abroad.
The Prosecutor's Office requested that all members of Brodosplit's Supervisory Board, including incumbent Economy Minister Branko Vukelic, be questioned as witnesses.
Under the investigation request, the three main suspects - Macek, Vukasovic, and Luetic - in July 2005 knowingly and acting in agreement presented to the Brodosplit Supervisory Board an offer by the German company Wessels for the construction of four tankers, which they claimed was the only serious offer, although they knew that there were two much better offers. They described two side letters signed along with the contracts for the construction of the tankers as part of normal procedure.
After Brodosplit paid USD 4.7 million into the bank account of four Cypriot companies in line with the contracts, the money was siphoned off to an Austrian bank account opened by Macek, the broker in the deal.
Macek drew the money from the bank account and transferred it to his account and the accounts belonging to Vukasovic, Luetic and other suspects.
Macek, Vukasovic, Luetic and the CEO of the Brodotrogir shipyard, Mateo Tramontana, also suspected of money laundering that was covered up with a cadet training deal with Wessels, and Ivica Donko from Macek's company Iceberg, denied allegations from the investigation request.
Macek, Vukasovic and Luetic said that the contracts with Wessels were very favourable for Brodosplit.
Investigating judge Cambj last week completed the questioning of the suspects.