Milosevic speaks: President Milosevic in The Hague, January 9, 2002 (transcript)

Richard May:

…Mr. Milosevic, you have heard what I said. Is there anything else you would like to say in connection with your trial and what has been said today?

President Slobodan Milosevic:

To be precise, concerning what has been said today: almost everything we’ve heard shows that, in the guise of having a trial, what is planned here is to carry out an operation to reverse scene and culprit. This is aimed at producing a fabricated justification for the crimes committed during the NATO aggression against my country and my people.

Indeed, this ‘indictment’ itself constitutes one of the proofs that what I affirm is true. Because all the so-called misdeeds supposedly committed by the armed forces of Yugoslavia, which I had the honor to command, are, according to the ‘indictment,’ supposed to have occurred during precisely the time of the NATO aggression against my country.

The intention is obviously to portray those who defended their families, children, thresholds, homes and homeland as villains, criminals, evil people. Whereas those who traveled thousands of kilometers to destroy those homes in the night, to kill innocent people, to destroy maternity wards, hospitals, bridges, railways, trains, who collaborated with the Albanian terrorists – that those people, responsible for a huge number of victims and enormous material damage, are good, are correct, and should have the support of international public opinion.

To compound this absurdity… (microphone turned off)

Richard May:

Mr. Milosevic, I have already explained how this trial will be conducted. You will have the opportunity to give your defense in the way I have described. But now is not the time for that. It is not the time for speeches. Our concern now is for the form of the trial and the proceedings. Would you like to say something concerning that? As I have said you will have the opportunity to state your defense when the trial begins. That will be the right time to do it, not now. We haven’t gotten into the essence of the trial. Do you wish to say something concerning the procedure?

President Slobodan Milosevic:

Well, this isn’t the first time I haven’t been allowed to speak, but I have to say - if you will … (microphone turned off)

Richard May:

You will have the opportunity to speak and will be allowed to speak at the proper time, during the trial. As I told you, this is not the right time. We are now concerned with procedural matters. So, you have to limit your remarks to that, and when the trial begins, as I have said, the time will come for you to make your statements. You can do that and expound your defense. Please, do you wish to say something concerning procedure or not?

President Slobodan Milosevic:

I want to confirm that you have not offered a single argument in response to the very clear legal facts I have presented regarding the illegality of this ‘court’, established by a resolution of a Security Council that has no legislative nor judiciary power and that could hardly transfer prerogatives it does not have, since as lawyers you very well know that a right which one does not posses cannot be transferred.

In any case.... (microphone turned off)

Richard May:

Mr. Milosevic, we have already made a decision regarding that question and it is no longer an issue up for debate. Do you wish to say something else regarding the procedure or shall we finish?

President Slobodan Milosevic:

Well, if you’re going to limit the questions I can raise, then regarding the procedure I would say the following: according to the natural definition, which applies to any court, it must be neutral and impartial. And look at this ‘court’: the indictment is based on allegations provided by the English Intelligence Service; the judge is English; the prosecutor is English; the Amicus Curiae is English; and I .… (microphone turned off)

Richard May:

Mr. Milosevic, we have listened to you patiently and we are listening to you patiently. Several times you have been told that this hearing deals with procedural matters only. You will have the opportunity to state your defense during your trial and to give all the statements you want. Now is not the time for that. This hearing is adjourned. Please rise.