The HSP leader said that this trial "is a politically-motivated campaign which also involves the (Split) Municipal Prosecutor's Office".
Djapic, who last week was stripped of immunity which he had previously enjoyed as a member of parliament, and his thesis advisor, professor Boris Kandare, are accused of committing criminal offences with the aim of making it possible for Djapic to acquire a master's degree after finishing post-graduate studies at the Split Law School.
According to the indictment, Kandare, a professor at the Split Law School, helped Djapic to acquire a master's degree after the latter copied almost everything in his thesis from Kandare's works.
On 23 December 1999, the Law School Council decided to strip Djapic of the title of Master of Law.
Djapic said that he took a postgraduate course at the Split Law School in the 1993-94 school year, and that he finished the studies in 1999 with the average mark of 4.12.
Presenting his defence, Djapic said that the Law School Council, which convened six times to discuss his work, never pointed out any problem and that the council had appointed Kandare as his thesis advisor. Djapic said this to refute media allegations that he had chosen Kandare as his thesis advisor.
Djapic added that problems cropped up when the media began claiming that he had copied Kandare's doctoral thesis in his work for his master's degree.
Djapic added that the Split municipal prosecution acted on a complaint lodged by a political group led by his political opponent Dobroslav Paraga.
Djapic refused to answer questions asked by prosecutors at today's hearing.
The main hearing has been adjourned until 1 April.
The trial began on October 2002 and lasted until October 2004. Last week, the parliament decided to strip Djapic of immunity so that the trial can resume.