MILOSEVIC SET TO LAUNCH DEFENSE ON TUESDAY
www.slobodan-milosevic.org - August 29, 2004

Written by: Andy Wilcoxson

Slobodan Milosevic is set to begin his defense on Tuesday. Last week, the Tribunal announced that Milosevic would launch his defense with an opening statement as planned, but before any witnesses are called, the court will hear submissions on his health, whether to force him to accept a defense lawyer, and on whether or not the indictment against him should be severed into three separate indictments.

Milosevic, who has successfully defended himself since this dog-and-pony show started in February 2002, has said repeatedly that he will not accept an imposed defense lawyer.

The Amicus Curiae are also opposed to the imposition of a defense counsel, saying it could worsen Milosevic's health by increasing his stress, deny him his right to represent himself and constitute what they consider to be "significant grounds for appeal."

The Prosecution wants to deny Milosevic his right to self-defense altogether. They want the Tribunal to impose a defense lawyer on Milosevic against his will.

The Tribunal has allotted Milosevic 150 days in which to present his defense, which is substantially less time than the 283 that the prosecution took to present its case.

Milosevic wants to call 1,400 witnesses, but this will be difficult to do with only 150 days to present his defense.

Karolos Papoulias, former foreign minister of Greece, Yves Bonnet, former chief of France's secret police, Constantine Mitsotakis, former prime minister of Greece, and Yevgeny M. Primakov the former prime minister of Russia have all agreed to testify as witnesses in Milosevic's defense.

Milosevic also seeks to call the former U.S. president Bill Clinton, the British prime minister Tony Blair, and numerous other Western politicians to testify at his so-called "trial" so that he can question them on the roles that they played in the destruction of Yugoslavia.

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