Boskoski Accuses Prosecution of Damaging His Health

At a status conference held on August 16, Boskoski said his health was “significantly endangered” by these allegations, claiming that all this pressure on him has made him “psychotic”.



On April 13 this year, the court’s registry ruled that Boskoski should contribute over 575,000 US dollars towards his defence fees. But shortly after, he announced that he would mount his own defence.



In a July 5 motion which irritated Boskoski, the prosecutors said “it would be highly unfair if this tribunal had to expend additional time, money and other resources as a result of the accused Boskoski's decision to represent himself”.



At this week’s status conference, Boskoski said this “attack on his person came as a strong blow”.



“If such style of attacks continue, I don’t know if I will live to see the start of the trial,” he said.



He added that forcing him to pay for the defence costs would jeopardise not only his wellbeing, but that of his children too.



Boskoski is indicted along with his former bodyguard Johan Tarculoski for war crimes allegedly committed in the ethnic Albanian village of Ljuboten in Macedonia’s brief civil war in 2001.



The prosecutors have also decided to cut down substantially the amount of time they will need for presenting their case - from the previously announced eight months down to just seven weeks. The date for the trial has not been set yet.