Krizic is expected to appear before Judge Alphonse Orie at 2.30 pm on Monday, while Jovic, who is charged with revealing the identity and testimony of the same protected witness in Slobodna Dalmacija in November and December 2000, is expected to appear at 3.15 pm.
Despite reporters' insistence, Krizic and his attorney Emil Havkic would neither confirm nor deny that they were travelling to The Hague tomorrow. Hina has learned from other sources that Krizic and his attorney are on a list of passengers to travel from Zagreb to Amsterdam on Monday and that they have booked hotel rooms in The Hague and are to appear before the tribunal as expected.
Josip Jovic and his attorney Kresimir Krsnik confirmed over the phone that they would not appear before the tribunal, but would initiate before Croatian courts proceedings to challenge the tribunal's jurisdiction in case of the criminal act Jovic is charged with.
"I will not appear before the Hague tribunal. I have written to the Justice Minister and my attorney has lodged a complaint with the tribunal," Jovic said.
His attorney said Jovic would appear before the tribunal only if a Croatian court confirmed that the Hague tribunal had jurisdiction over reporters.
"If Croatian courts decide that the Hague tribunal has jurisdiction over reporters, we will comply with the summons," Krsnik said, adding that in his complaint to the tribunal he had explained that he and his client wanted to respect procedure provided for in Croatia's constitutional law on cooperation with the Hague tribunal.
Under that law, Croatia is obliged to cooperate with the Hague tribunal only in cases of grave violations of international humanitarian law and not in such bizarre cases as the prosecution of journalists, Krsnik said.
Assistance Justice Minister Jaksa Muljacic confirmed receipt of Jovic's appeal to Justice Minister Vesna Skare Ozbolt.
Muljacic said that Jovic was trying to politicise his case and that the tribunal had not ruled any coercive measures against him, but would probably do so if he did not appear before the tribunal of his own accord.
Muljacic added that he had informed Jovic that Croatia would have to carry out any arrest warrant the tribunal might issue against him.
Judge Orie on September 9 issued an order confirming and unsealing indictments against Jovic and Krizic.
In April this year the Hague tribunal issued indictments for contempt of court against four other Croatian reporters.