Košice
Good Friday turns bad for robbery victim
A 45-year old Košice man was robbed, doused with toluene, and set on fire by three juveniles on April 13, Good Friday. The robbers, aged between 12 and 14, were put up to the act by a 25-year old man, police said.
The victim lost a shopping bag with 100 crowns ($2) worth of goods, and suffered second and third degree burns to the head, face and ears. He was expected to remain at a Košice hospital for at least 18 days. The offenders are too young under Slovak law to be charged in connection with the robbery. Their ringleader was taken into custody and charged with abetting a crime.
High Tatras, Medzev
Politicians celebrate Slovak Easter traditions
Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda and President Rudolf Schuster told Slovak media Easter Sunday that they planned to spend a traditional veľka noc, or 'big night', with their families on Easter Monday April 16.
Dzurinda said that he would, "not miss the opportunity to sprinkle my womenfolk with a bit of water and whip them with a willow switch". Dzurinda was vacationing with his wife and two daughters in the High Tatras.
Schuster planned to whip and sprinkle water on his sister, wife, daughter and granddaughters in his birth village of Medzev, near Košice, where he learned the custom as a boy.
"Boys went in huge groups throughout our village," he said. "The women gave us money for sprinkling water and whipping."
Trnava
Hooligans attack bus
Trnava football hooligans attacked a bus carrying Košice football players before an April 15 match in Trnava, injuring four.
A group of 20 to 30 masked hooligans impeded the progress of the Košice bus as it drove down a main road in Trnava, and attacked it with beer bottles, stones and baseball bats. The bus, which never stopped completely, made it to a nearby police station where team management filed a complaint.
Košice footballer Martin Hlousek was struck in the head by a rock during the incident and did not play that afternoon. Three other Košice players treated for minor injuries appeared in the match.
Several Košice fans were injured in altercations with Trnava fans following the 0-0 draw and were taken to hospital.
Trnava management called for tough punishment for those involved in the afternoon's violence, and provided the Košice side with a bus for their return home. Police detained 13 suspects in connection with the attack on the bus, who could face charges of rioting and damaging property. Košice management said it would file an official protest with the Slovak Football Association.
Jasná, Žiarska dolina
Tragedy in the Tatras
Two Slovak mountain climbers fell to their deaths April 15 in the Low Tatras; a Czech alpine skier was killed by avalanche a day before in the High Tatras.
The 29 year-old climbers fell while attempting to scale Dumbier peak near the town of Jasna. The 26 year-old Czech skier was buried alive in an avalanche that struck in the Žiarska Valley in the High Tatras April 16. Rescue workers found him three hours later covered by three metres of snow. Another man was carried along the surface of the avalanche and survived.
Two other rescues were performed over the Easter weekend by Tatra Rescue Service personnel, who said they could not remember an Easter holiday when so many distress calls had arrived.
Compiled by Matthew J. Reynolds
from TASR
