Croatian authorities have extended pretrial detention for the country's former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, who has been arrested on corruption charges.

An investigative judge said Wednesday that Mr. Sanader will have to spend two more months in jail before the trial starts.

The continued detention was requested by Croatia's anti-corruption agency.

The former prime minister was arrested in Austria in December and was extradited to Croatia last month. He has been accused of accepting bribes and embezzling millions of dollars from government-owned companies.

He has denied any wrongdoing.

Mr. Sanader became Croatia's prime minister in 2003 and was re-elected for a second term in 2007. He stepped down abruptly and inexplicably in June 2009.

Fighting corruption is one of the key criteria Zagreb has to meet to join the European Union.