"A rather unfavourable decision is likely to be made in our case as well," attorney Cedo Prodanovic told reporters when asked what he expected the trial chamber to decide regarding possible conflict of interest on the part of two attorneys for Cermak.
Announcing a postponement of the trial on Tuesday, Judge Bakone Justice Moloto said one of the reasons for the deferral was the fact that the pre-trial chamber had still not decided on possible conflict of interest on the part of two attorneys for Cermak, but that a decision was expected soon. The judge added that depending on the decision, defence counsel might need time for other measures, which Cermak's defence team interpreted as their possible removal from the case.
Possible conflict of interest exists if the defence team for Gen. Gotovina calls to the witness stand General Rahim Ademi, the other client of attorneys Prodanovic and Slokovic.
Prodanovic said that they would appeal if they were removed from the case and invoke an earlier position of the Appeals Chamber that the possible conflict of interest can be overcome if the two clients agree to continue to be represented by Prodanovic and Slokovic.
Both Cermak and Ademi have submitted statements to that effect to the Hague tribunal.
Asked what he expected the Appeals Chamber to decide regarding his exemption from the case, lawyer Miroslav Separovic said that he was not very optimistic. The first good decision for Gen. Markac so far is the announced postponement of the trial, because it gives new defence attorneys time to prepare, he said.
Asked about the obvious lack of communication between Gen. Gotovina's defence team and the team representing Cermak and Markac, Prodanovic said that their relations did not reflect a conflict, but the behaviour of one of the teams.
The pre-trial chamber raised the issue of possible conflict of interest on the part of the three defence attorneys after Gotovina's defence team pointed to that possibility.