Mladić still without defense counsel

Ratko Mladic is not helping resolve the situation by insisting on Milos Saljic being his lead defense counsel. Saljic has said himself he does not meet the Hague Tribunal requirements. Mladic still without defense counsel Hague Tribunal representative Martin Petrov has said that Saljic does not speak any of the Hague Tribunal official languages and that he therefore cannot be Mladic's lead defense counsel. According to Petrov, Secretariat officials have spoken to Saljic and Aleksander Mezyaev and scheduled new meetings. Mezyaev will today take a language test. Petrov has announced that the Hague Tribunal Secretariat could decide on Mladic's request to appoint Saljic and Mezyaev as his defense counsels by the end of the week. If the Hague Tribunal rejects his request, Mladic will have to propose new lawyers that meet the court's requirements. “It is necessary not only so he would have qualified defense counsels, but also because he has requested the Tribunal to finance his defense,“ Petrov stressed. He said that there was no doubt that “Mladic understands the court rules“ because the Secretariat officials “had extensive“ consultations with him during the previous six weeks. “If he wants the Tribunal to finance his defense, Mladic needs to respect the rules,“ Petrov underscored. Ratko Mladic

Mladić still without defense counsel

Hague Tribunal representative Martin Petrov has said that Šaljić does not speak any of the Hague Tribunal official languages and that he therefore cannot be Mladić's lead defense counsel.

According to Petrov, Secretariat officials have spoken to Šaljić and Aleksander Mezyaev and scheduled new meetings. Mezyaev will today take a language test.

Petrov has announced that the Hague Tribunal Secretariat could decide on Mladić's request to appoint Šaljić and Mezyaev as his defense counsels by the end of the week.

If the Hague Tribunal rejects his request, Mladić will have to propose new lawyers that meet the court's requirements.

“It is necessary not only so he would have qualified defense counsels, but also because he has requested the Tribunal to finance his defense,“ Petrov stressed.

He said that there was no doubt that “Mladić understands the court rules“ because the Secretariat officials “had extensive“ consultations with him during the previous six weeks.

“If he wants the Tribunal to finance his defense, Mladić needs to respect the rules,“ Petrov underscored.