The MIP made a unanimous decision to this effect after a 20-minute heated debate between the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDP). Sanader used to be a leader and member of the HDZ until he was expunged from the HDZ membership in January 2010.
Last Friday the Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime (USKOK) issued a second indictment against Sanader, this time for allegedly taking 10 million euros from MOL CEO Zsolt Hernadi in exchange for securing management rights in INA for the Hungarian company and the divestiture of INA's gas business. On the same day, USKOK forwarded a motion for stripping Sanader of immunity to the parliament.
On 31 August USKOK filed the first indictment against Sanader, accusing him of abusing office as a deputy foreign minister in 1994 and 1995 and taking HRK 3.6 million in kickbacks for a loan the government obtained from Austria's Hypo bank.
The first indictment which charges Sanader of war profiteering will be discussed by the Zagreb County Court's panel of judges on September 30.
The indictment can be accepted, dismissed or returned to USKOK for amendment.
In case of its acceptance, a pretrial hearing will be scheduled.
An investigation in this case was launched in early March.
During his interview in the custody of the Remetinec prison in Zagreb this July, Sanader refuted claims about having taken kickbacks from the Austrian bank.
Sanader's lawyers said that Sanader did everything on orders from his superior at the time, the then Foreign Minister Mate Granic.
They also refuted claims about war profiteering, saying the loan approved to Croatia was more favourable than other loans the country could have taken at the time.