(ANSA) - BRUSSELS, APR. 7 - Former Croatian Prime Minister, Ivo Sanader, in office from 2003 to 2009, was sentenced today - court of first instance - to four years and six months in prison for corruption and abuse of power dating back to nine years ago.

Sanader has to return 2.2 million euro that, according to judgment, he illegally obtained in 2009 by abusing his power.

Former prime minister was found guilty of having forced the then Minister of Agriculture to buy, for the ministry, a property in Zagreb owned by an entrepreneur and member of his party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ, Conservative ), at a price which was much higher than current market value, thus causing damage to state coffers.

In the deal he was also involved former Agriculture Minister Petar Cobankovic, sentenced to a much lighter sentence. Sanader continues to profess innocence and since the court sentenced him to less than five years in prison, the former prime minister, according to Croatian laws, is not obliged to await in prison the outcome of the appeal, and thus remains at large. (ANSA).