Belgrade lawyers Zdenko Tomanovic and Branislav Tapuskovic refused proposal by the Hague Tribunal to defend Slobodan Milosevic as per official service duty.
Due to further deterioration of Milosevic's health and impossibility of appointing his defender, beginning of Milosevic's defense scheduled for August 31 could be postponed again.
Lawyer Zdenko Tomanovic did not want to comment for 'Blic' information that he had refused offer by that Hague Tribunal to him to defend Milosevic.
Lawyer Branislav Tapuskovic who was engaged by the Hague tribunal as 'friend of the court' says that Milosevic has granted right to defend himself personally regardless of his health condition.
'My acceptance of the tribunal's offer would violence Milosevic's right. If Milosevic is unable to be in the courtroom, my opinion is that the court trial cannot be continued', Tapuskovic says.
Cardiologists say that Milosevic needs to rest because of high blood pressure and heart problems. Milosevic was of the opinion that continuation of the court trial should have been postponed for one month at least.
Aleksandra Milenov of Belgrade office of the Hague tribunal says for 'Blic' that judges are considering possibility of giving so-called 'stand-by' defender who would follow the court process and undertake the matter when Milosevic is unable to carry out his own defense.
'When his health improves, Milosevic would again question the witnesses by himself. The second possibility is division of the indictment into two or three parts in which case the court process would develop in series. I do not know when the judges will decide on that since at the moment Tribunal's officials are on holiday', Aleksandra Milenov said.
Copyright 2004 Blic
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