Page 6832
1 Wednesday, 27 March 2002
2 [Open session]
3 [The accused entered court]
4 [The accused Milan Simic not present]
5 --- Upon commencing at 2.33 p.m.
6 JUDGE MUMBA: Please call the case.
7 THE REGISTRAR: Yes, Your Honour. This is the case number
8 IT-95-9-T, the Prosecutor versus Blagoje Simic, Milan Simic, Miroslav
9 Tadic, and Simo Zaric.
10 JUDGE MUMBA: The proceedings this afternoon are held under Rule
11 15 bis for purposes of deciding on the future of the proceedings, and
12 under Rule 15 bis (C), it has been decided that another Judge will be
13 appointed for the Trial Chamber. So the accused persons have to
14 decide -- have to consent. Since the proceedings are already under way,
15 they have to decide, in the event of another Judge being appointed, as has
16 already been decided, whether the proceedings will continue or whether
17 they would like the proceedings to start afresh, and the President will
18 have to issue an order. This is the reason we are sitting. And even
19 though there are only two of us, we believe that it's in the interests of
20 justice to have this decision taken at this time so that further
21 proceedings, dependent on the decision of the accused persons today, can
22 proceed.
23 So I'll ask the first accused, Mr. Simic, Blagoje Simic, what his
24 decision is.
25 THE INTERPRETER: Microphone, please.
Page 6833
1 THE ACCUSED BLAGOJE SIMIC: [Interpretation] Your Honour, as far as
2 the new Judge is concerned to be assigned to this Chamber, I have nothing
3 against it, as long as he's given enough time to consider what has already
4 happened in the proceedings.
5 JUDGE MUMBA: So you consent to the proceedings continuing with
6 the new Judge?
7 THE ACCUSED BLAGOJE SIMIC: [Interpretation] I do.
8 JUDGE MUMBA: Thank you very much.
9 Mr. Miroslav Tadic?
10 THE ACCUSED TADIC: [Interpretation] Your Honour, I would like to
11 say a few words. On the 26th of April of this year, it's been six years
12 that I gave my first statement to the Prosecutor's office. I then gave
13 five or six more statements. On the 14th of February of this year, it's
14 been four years that I gave myself voluntarily to the Tribunal, and you
15 know where we stand now. I believe that this has now gone for far too
16 long. I will try to address whomever I can, even the Security Council, to
17 say what my situation is. I am fed up with being in the Detention Unit.
18 As far as this case is concerned that you are talking about, I agree with
19 Mr. Simic. If it is necessary, I'm ready to proceed tomorrow, if that's
20 possible, but I just want it to proceed. Thank you very much.
21 JUDGE MUMBA: Thank you.
22 Mr. Simo Zaric?
23 THE ACCUSED ZARIC: [Interpretation] Your Honour, I agree that the
24 proceedings should continue, the trial should continue, for a new Judge to
25 be appointed, and that the trial should continue from where we left off.
Page 6834
1 JUDGE MUMBA: Thank you.
2 Mr. Milan Simic is not in Court, but Mr. Zecevic was advised that
3 he can give the decision -- inform the Chamber what his client's decision
4 is, and then we shall have it signed in writing by the accused himself,
5 who is not able to be in the courtroom.
6 Yes, Mr. Zecevic.
7 MR. ZECEVIC: Thank you, Your Honour.
8 First of all, I would like to say that my -- due to his medical
9 situation, my client was unable to attend to the court today. However, he
10 waived his right to be present and he instructed me to state that he is
11 giving his consent for the continuation of the trial with another Judge
12 according to the Rule 15 bis (C). The document has been prepared and has
13 been given to the legal officer. It has to be, of course, brought to my
14 client for his signature. It's in Serbian language and in English
15 language. I prepared it myself. And I believe that would be sufficient
16 for the purposes of this hearing. Thank you.
17 JUDGE MUMBA: Yes. Thank you. That is sufficient. Thank you
18 very much. So we'll have it signed and then it can be filed.
19 Yes. So the position is that the proceedings will continue with
20 the new Judge being appointed to complete the Bench.
21 [Trial Chamber confers]
22 JUDGE MUMBA: In this case, the Trial Chamber is of the view that
23 we should hold a Status Conference with the advocates -- the attorneys
24 only. So we are going to adjourn to allow the accused persons to leave
25 the courtroom. And the Status Conference will convene at, yes, 15.15
Page 6835
1 hours.
2 --- Whereupon the hearing adjourned at 2.40 p.m.,
3 to be followed by a Status Conference
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