ICTY: Seselj trial verdict to be announced on March 31

ICTY: Seselj trial verdict to be announced on March 31

Seselj, who heads the Serb Radical Party (SRS), is accused before the Hague Tribunal of committing war crimes from 1991 to 1993, and was granted provisional release for health reasons on November 6, 2014, after spending more than 11 years in ICTY prison.

Reacting to the announcement, he on Friday said he was "not interested, and would not go to The Hague voluntarily."

"It does not interest me. I have heavily defeated the Hague Tribunal. After 12 years in prison, they literally kicked me out of the Scheveningen prison," Seselj told Tanjug.

He pointed out that he was not interested in verdicts of the Hague Tribunal or anything in connection with it and would not go there voluntarily.

According to AFP news agency, presiding judge Jean-Claude Antonetti "fixed March 31 at 10 a.m. for the verdict."

"Not about Seselj"

Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said Saturday that the behavior of the Hague Tribunal was irresponsible and the requirement to ensure SRS leader Vojislav Seselj's attendance at the sentencing hearing was a hidden attempt at weakening the position of Serbia and destabilizing its government.

Speaking on a Belgrade-based TV Pink's talk show, Stefanovic said that day after day, the tribunal was trying to make Serbia's position more difficult, and it was not about an individual or a particular judgment, but rather an attempt at destabilizing the government.

"They they want to create a weaker government ... a weaker Serbia, which would not have such a good negotiating position in the dialogue with Pristina and one that will not be able to pursue an independent policy."