ENTERING A DEFENCE OF ŽELJKO TRAVICA POSTPONED UNTIL APRIL 28

BELGRADE, MARCH 17 /SRNA/ – The trial of Željko Travica, whom the Croatian judiciary charges with war crimes in Cerić near Vinkovci in 1991, resumed today with a hearing before the County Court Osijek, after which the judge scheduled the entering a defence of Travica for April 28.

Aleksandar Travica, Željko Travica's son, told SRNA that at today's hearing an expert assessment of his father's health condition was conducted to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.

According to him, the expert changed his previous opinion that his father would not be fit for trial while undergoing chemotherapy.

"He stated that it is now preventive, whatever that means, and that my father may feel unwell only for two or three days after chemotherapy, and that, in his opinion, he is functional and capable of preparing his defence and standing trial," said Aleksandar Travica.

He added that his father complained about health problems, noting that the prison doctor does not record them, and that he fainted, which they acknowledged, but no measures were taken to determine why it happened.

"They are now closing ranks - the judge, the expert, and the doctors who do not record my father’s health issues," Aleksandar said.

Court-appointed defence attorney Vladimir Šmit proposed calling the prison doctor as a witness regarding allegations that he is not recording Željko's health complaints.

"However, the judge rejected this, as well as a new expert evaluation by an oncologist, since this expert is not from the field of oncology. The judge also arrogantly refused to allow my father to present objections, treating him as if he were to blame for being ill," Aleksandar said.

He emphasized that it is unbelievable that the judge and others are treating a man this way who underwent surgery on his gallbladder, colon cancer, and a hernia in a single procedure, and who was told that an intestinal obstruction had begun and that he nearly died.

"He has a 50-centimeter surgical incision, is undergoing chemotherapy, has lost at least 30 kilograms, and faints, yet they ignore all of this and present it as if he feels unwell for two days but is fine on the third, making him functional and fit for trial," Aleksandar pointed out.

Aleksandar Travica says he has learned that his father is the only detainee in Croatia who has been denied house arrest while undergoing chemotherapy, and the only one who had cancer surgery while in detention and remained imprisoned afterward.

"They refuse to acknowledge anything. It seems to me that he could even die, but they would still consider him fit for trial. The expert changed his previous opinion because it is obvious the judge pressured him. In the end, the judge said the hearing would be held on April 28 and that he would wait for the chemotherapy to be completed, Practically, just three days after that, the hearing will take place," Aleksandar said.

He added that he cannot help but wonder whether the treatment of his father is nationally motivated, and whether that is why he is not being allowed a fair trial and adequate medical care.