DECISION ON POSTPONEMENT OF TESTIFYING OF 53 WITNESSES IN BLASKIC CASE TO BE MADE IN TWO WEEKS

CASE TO BE MADE IN TWO WEEKS THE HAGUE, 28 July (Hina) - At a session held behind closed doors on Monday, the defence of Tihomir Blaskic, Anto Nobilo and Russel Hayman, asked the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) to postpone the testifying of 53 witnesses for the prosecution, about whom it was informed only a couple of days before the beginning of the trial on 26 June 1997. The defence asked for the postponement in order to be able to check the testimonies of the witnesses on the ground. The prosecution has announced testimonies of some 300 witnesses. The ICTY today announced that the decision on the postponement would be made in two weeks. In case the court approves the defence's request, the testifying of the 53 witnesses will be postponed for 60 days from the date of the announcement of the court's decision. On 26 June 1997, the defence requested that the testifying of 53 the witnesses be postponed. Last week, the Trial Chamber informed the defence that the testifying would be postponed for 30 days, starting from the beginning of the trial. (hina) rm 282206 MET jul 97