First Day of Freedom: Bandić Starts with Morning Run

The non-trial panel of the Zagreb County Court released Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić. Bandić paid a bail of as much as 15 million kuna in cash and promised the investigating judge that he would not influence witnesses or perform his duties, so last night, after a month behind bars, he was released from Remetinec prison, reports Index.hr, as carried by the Bosnian news agency Patria.

The money for the bail, 15 million kuna in cash, was deposited by Bandić's lawyer Marijan Hanžeković. He raised the money, as unofficially learned, by taking a short-term loan from a bank.

Already this morning, Bandić returned to his usual habits. He started the day on the athletic track. He was not in the mood for statements. "I understand you, understand me too," he said into the HRT camera, thus answering the question "how will he spend the day given that he is not allowed to work."

Bandić did not want to answer questions about where he got the money for the bail, nor whether he would be in contact with the city's leading figures. However, he did answer the question about his fitness: "In prison, I mostly walked."

At the school playground in Kušlanova Street, Bandić ran in the company of his dog Rudi and about ten acquaintances. After finishing his run, Bandić leafed through the daily newspapers, probably to see what was being written about his release from custody.