"I am proud of my role in the Homeland War and in the defence of Slavonija and Baranja and all of Croatia, in which I participated together with Branimir Glavas. I had no information at the time about Glavas being connected with any crimes for which he might be responsible," Seks told reporters in the Parliament.
Seks rejected Glavas's allegations that the criminal proceedings against him were initiated by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), from which Glavas was expelled a year ago over his views of regionalisation of the country.
"What Glavas is alluding to is not true, that it is a political trial orchestrated by me personally, (Prime Minister Ivo) Sanader and the HDZ, because in a criminal investigation conducted over the past year the Public Prosecutor has gathered, in his opinion, enough evidence to launch proceedings," Seks said.
"Reasons for the political split between Glavas and me are of a quite different nature and are not being used as an excuse or a reason for initiating criminal proceedings," said Seks, who served as head of the Crisis Management Committee for Slavonija and Baranja in 1991 and early 1992.
Seks stressed he believed Glavas when he said that at the time, as commander of the Croatian defence forces in Osijek, Glavas did not do any crimes of which he is suspected by the Public Prosecutor.
"I believe Glavas when he says that he acted according to the laws of war and other laws and that he is not responsible for any unlawful acts, which is why his statements in which he mentions me as his superior are absurd. On what grounds should I be held responsible for something that never happened?," Seks said, wishing Glavas "all the luck in facing justice."
Asked why the criminal proceedings were being launched only now, 15 years after the murders were committed, Seks said that the police had been investigating the cases but could not do much since it was wartime. He said that about 1,000 residents of Osijek had been killed in 1991 and early 1992 as a result of the shelling of the city and sniper fire by Serb insurgents.
Asked if he would testify in the case if he received a court summons, Seks said it was his civil duty to do so. "If the investigating judge summons me, I will certainly appear in court," he said.