Explaining the verdict of April 4, Split Municipal Court judge Robert Pesutic said the court established that Djapic had copied most of his master's thesis from Kandare, his mentor at the time, but he added that the case should be dealt with by the Split Law School, which had given Djapic a master's degree in law.
The trial of Djapic and Kandare started in October 2002 and lasted until October 2004, when parliamentary elections were held and the court requested that Djapic be stripped of immunuty as parliamentary deputy for the second time so that the trial could be held.
The parliament stripped Djapic of immunity only in mid-March this year, and the verdict was passed only a month before the expiry of the statute of limitations, May 4.
If the County Court quashes the verdict, the Municipal Court will not have time to start another trial and pass a new verdict. If the acquitting verdict of the lower court is confirmed, it will become final.