Defenders of Oliver Ivanovic will respond today to the prosecutor’s appeal, who insists that the leader of CI SDP should remain in jail until the final verdict, instead of currently being in house arrest. “Regardless of everything we have greater confidence in the international EULEX judges,” said Ljubomir Pantović, Ivanovic’s attorney.
When do you expect a written verdict of the Trial Chamber according to which Ivanovic was sentenced to nine-years in prison?
Deadline for submission of the judgment is fifteen days, but when it comes to complex cases, such as this, the deadline may be extended to sixty days.
You said that it will be very difficult to explain the verdict, which Judge Roxana Komsa imposed on 21 January?
The verdict stated conclusions which deny that Ivanovic is guilty… Ivanovic was not the leader of a paramilitary group; he didn’t order anything or personally commit any crime. This explanation excludes his guilt, and by the reasoning of the court, Ivanovic is guilty because he was at the scene of the events, (…) So, as I said, the written judgment must be consistent with the verbal explanation given on the last day of the trial, when the verdict was announced. In other words, the Presiding Judge who will write the verdict should include the reasons that were verbally given in the courtroom, on 21 January. She cannot write something different in the verdict.
Upon receipt of the judgment you will have 15 days to appeal. When do you expect the final decision of the court?
It’s still early to talk about that judgment, but we will request that the Court of Appeal consists solely of EULEX judges, since this was the composition of the panel in the first instance. I expect for the process to be completed by the summer, or perhaps later.
It is difficult to predict, but what judgment do you expect?
Personally, I pray to God that the appellate panel will be made up of professional and honorable judges who will take the evidence into account. If this will be the case, I will be optimistic.
