Date: 12.03.2008
Time: 12:00
Registry and Chambers:
Nerma Jelačić, Spokesperson for Registry and Chambers, made the following statement:
Good morning,
Welcome to a very busy week here at the Tribunal with the commencement of the trial of Ante Gotovina, Ivan Čermak and Mladen Markač. We are happy to see high media interest for this case and warmly welcome the journalists who have come from Croatia to cover the opening of the trial.
And next week another important trial commences with the Prosecution’s opening statements in the case of Jovica Stanišić and Franko Simatović due to be made on 17 March 2008 immediately after the pre-trial conference. You will recall that a decision made by the Trial Chamber delayed the commencement of this trial by seven days on request of the Prosecution.
Elsewhere, Jadranko Prlić, Bruno Stojić, Slobodan Praljak, Milivoj Petković and Valentin Čorić will remain in the Tribunal’s Detention Unit during the break in trial proceedings after the Appeals Chamber yesterday overturned the Trial Chamber’s decision to provisionally release them during a break in trial.
In the courtrooms this week:
This morning Gotovina’s Defence team is making its opening statement. The trial will continue tomorrow with the first Prosecution witness taking stand in Courtroom III from 9:00 to 13:45.
Two status conferences have been scheduled for this afternoon in Courtroom III; one for Zdravko Tolimir at 14:15 and one for Milan and Sredoje Lukić at 16:00.
The trials for Boškoski and Tarčulovski, Šešelj, Delić, and Milutinović et al. continue as scheduled.
Prosecution:
There will be no statement from the Office of the Prosecutor.
Questions:
Asked about the reason for the postponement of the Stanišić and Simatović trial, Nerma Jelačić replied that last week’s decision specified the start of trial was moved on request of the Prosecution with no other details.