Ljajic told the Danas daily in an interview that the tribunal's trial chamber had rejected Seselj's motion for provisional release last Friday, saying it had no guarantees from Serbia that he would return to The Hague for the sentencing hearing.
"We are ready to provide guarantees for Seselj if that is required for his release. His health conditions is poor and we are concerned about it. Seselj has never asked for state guarantees, and this was the first that he had asked for a provisional release in his closing statement. That is what lies behind this case. We don't want to be responsible for Seselj not being released from custody," Ljajic explained.
He said that government officials had not contacted Seselj because he refused them, but that they were in touch with his legal team.
Ljajic said that the government would give guarantees for the provisional release of the accused Jovica Stanisic and Franko Simatovic from the tribunal's custody at its meeting on Thursday. He said he did not expect Seselj to be released before May 6, when parliamentary, provincial and local election are scheduled.