Milosevic's defence attorneys are Britons Steven Kay and Gillian Higgins.
The two British lawyers have so far acted as "friends of the court" (amici curiae), in charge of the rights and interests of the accused who is defending himself. Their appointment was confirmed today by the ICTY registrar's office.
Presiding judge Patrick Robinson said that the Trial Chamber overruled Milosevic's request that he be given seven days to choose his own defence counsel, but added that the accused could still appoint his own defence counsel when he requested so.
The Trial Chamber appointed the two lawyers despite Milosevic's protest.
After examining Milosevic separately, two cardiologists said the 63-year-old former Serb strongman was at risk of a potentially life-threatening "hypertensive emergency", presiding judge Patrick Robinson told the court.
"Based on the medical reports, there is a real danger that this trial might either last for an unreasonably long time or
worse yet might not be concluded should the accused continue to represent himself without the assistance of counsel," the judge said.
The trial of Slobodan Milosevic, who is charged with genocide and war crimes in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo during the 1990s war, started in February 2002. Milosevic's poor health had interrupted the prosecution's case more than a dozen times and 66 working days have already been lost for that reason.
Milosevic vehemently rejected the decision saying it was scandalous and illegal. "I want the appeals chamber to consider this decision of yours, which is illegal, which violates international law, which violates every conceivable covenant on human rights," he said.
Chief war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte welcomed the Trial Chamber's decision.
"I am very pleased with the decision. We have been asking for it for the last three years. It's the only way to close this
trial in a reasonable time," her spokeswoman said on her behalf.
The prosecutor in the Milosevic case, Geoffrey Nice, advocated that the defence counsel be given discretionary rights in running the defence and in choosing witnesses.
Milosevic launched his defence on Tuesday after months of delay due to his ill health. He was given 150 days to introduce evidence and witnesses, of whom the first are former Greek and Russian prime ministers Constantin Mitsotakis and Yevgeny Primakov respectively.