THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - The Croatian government has shown that it honours its obligations towards the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the spokeswoman for the ICTY's prosecution, Florence
Hartmann, has said in a comment on the government's position regarding the parliament's decision binding it to grant legal assistance and access to the necessary documents to suspects and indictees of the Hague-based tribunal.
THE HAGUE/ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - The Croatian government has shown
that it honours its obligations towards the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the spokeswoman for the
ICTY's prosecution, Florence Hartmann, has said in a comment on the
government's position regarding the parliament's decision binding
it to grant legal assistance and access to the necessary documents
to suspects and indictees of the Hague-based tribunal. #L#
The government on Wednesday decided that it would implement the
parliament's decision in accordance with the rights and duties of
Croatia arising from the constitutional law on cooperation with the
tribunal and the tribunal's statute and rules of procedure.
With that decision the government obviously honours its
obligations, Hartmann told Hina on the phone today.
The parliament's decision put the government in a situation where
it could not have acted otherwise, and it has acted responsibly and
in line with its obligations, she added.
The government said in its conclusion that each suspect or indictee
may examine all available documents or may for this purpose
authorise a defence attorney whose status has been appropriately
approved.
When submitting documents to the tribunal's prosecution, the
government acted in line with the prosecution's lawful request and
its commitments, which would not be the case if access to the
necessary documents were granted to unauthorised persons, said
Hartmann.
The government's decision, says Hartmann, does not prevent
indictee Ante Gotovina or persons who will defend him from gaining
access to relevant documents, however, they can be granted such
access only if they initiate the necessary procedure and if the
indictee appears before the tribunal.
According to the tribunal's regulations, court proceedings start
when an indictee appears before the tribunal, after which the
indictee gains the right to defence counsel, whose power of
attorney is verified by the ICTY's Registrar's Office.
(hina) rml sb