The decision was made following request filed on 26 September 2005 and after the Counsel for Tihomir Blaskic notified the Appeals Chamber that Tihomir Blaskic does not object to the Prosecution"s Motion, the office of the Croatian President said in a statement..
The ICTY decided to grant President Mesic the protected witness because it believed that the revealing of his name as a witness and the content of his testimony would represent a risk for him and his family. Mesic was granted the status on 16 March 1998.
Adopting the decision to lift the protective measures, the Appeals Chamber cited the fact that witness Mesic did not object the lifting of the protective measures and that he in fact wanted the Appeals Chamber to cancel his protected witness status, Mesic's office said in the statement.