Summary Janez Jansa was Wednesday found guilty of corruption over eurozone country's biggest defence deal.
LJUBLJANA (AFP) - Former Slovenian prime minister Janez Jansa was on Wednesday found guilty of corruption over the eurozone country s biggest ever defence deal and sentenced to two years in prison.
Judge Barbara Klajnsek concluded the 21-month-long trial saying the court found Jansa "guilty on the charges of giving or receiving bribery or bribery promises in the acquisition of (Finnish defence firm Patria s) armoured vehicles".
Jansa said he would appeal.
Centre-right prime minister until being forced to step down in February over separate corruption allegations, Jansa, 54, was also fined 37,000 euros ($48,350).
Two other defendants were also sentenced to 22 months of prison and fined 37,000 euros.
Jansa had been charged with "complicity in the giving or accepting bribery or bribery promises in exchange for a mediation" that led to the 2006 signing of a 278-million-euro deal with Finnish company Patria.
He accepted that a commission would be paid to his centre-right Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) if the deal with Patria was signed, the judge said.
The contract for 135 armoured vehicles was part of Slovenia s efforts to modernise its military after joining the NATO alliance in 2004, the same year it became a member of the European Union.
Weeks before 2008 parliamentary elections, a Finnish television report alleged that several high-ranking Slovenian officials, including Jansa, had taken bribes from Patria.
Ahead of Wednesday s session, Jansa dismissed the charges as a farce and said, if he was found guilty, he would use all the legal resources to appeal what he said was a "political process" against him.
