"The government doesn't have a single reason to protect anybody. In case there is a need that somebody takes the consequences, I will be the first one to do that," Sanader said speaking at the second assembly of his Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).
The PM said it was in the interest of discovering the full truth also about obvious cases of possible conflicts of interest, such as the case involving the company of a former minister (Radimir Cacic) who conveyed the firm to his wife claiming that the company was not his and that the company could get jobs for which his ministry invited bids. Sanader said that a former parliament president (Zlatko Tomcic) also claimed he was not the owner of his company but that he only had 23 percent of the company's shares and it was that precise company that was given the control over the construction of projects conducted by Cacic's company
Therefore, everybody should take care of their own mess first, the PM said and added that he expected the Chief State Prosecutor to present the facts to the public in the near future.
It should be in everyone's interest that this scandal end as soon as possible so that we can finally close this chapter, Sanader said.
Commenting on Croatia's position in Europe, Sanader said the time had come when Croatia "can no longer stand outside the doors of the hall but it must be at the table at which decision on a joint European future are made".
Speaking about the HDZ presidential candidate, Jadranka Kosor, Sanader said her candidacy was very good for the party because Kosor would know how to represent and promote Croatia's national interests.
Addressing the present, presidential candidate Kosor said she was confident in her electoral victory.
A vice president of the HDZ and deputy prime minister, Andrija Hebrang, said he was confident the incumbent President Stjepan Mesic would give his term in office to Kosor because "she is nicer to look at and listen to".