At the trial for crimes committed during and after Operation Storm, a hearing has been scheduled on the motion filed by Ante Gotovina’s defense to grant immunity to Marin Ivanovic, Gotovina’s team investigator. He has been charged by a Zagreb court with trying to conceal documents sought by the prosecution


The Trial Chamber with judge Alphons Orie presiding scheduled a hearing for 26 June 2009 where the two parties and the Republic of Croatia will present their arguments concerning Ante Gotovina’s motion for the suspension of the proceedings against Marin Ivanovic, member of Gotovina’s defense team before the Zagreb Municipal Court. In late 2008, the Croatian public prosecutor charged Ivanovic with the destruction and/or concealing of materials the prosecution has been requesting from the Republic of Croatia to no avail.

In April 2009, the defense filed a motion asking the Trial Chamber to grant Ivanovic ‘functional immunity’ from prosecution before the Croatian judiciary in order to ensure Gotovina’s right to a fair defense. In its reply, the prosecution stated that this was ‘the wrong motion, brought by the wrong party before the wrong court.’
The Trial Chamber will hear not only the prosecution and the defense, but also the third party in this case on 26 June 2009. The Trial Chamber has called the Republic of Croatia to send its authorized representatives who have knowledge of the events related to the indictment against Ivanovic.

Generals Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak and Mladen Markac on trial for taking part in a joint criminal enterprise aimed at the expulsion of the Serb population from Krajina in the summer and autumn of 1995. Gotovina’s defense will call its fifth witness next week.

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