BRATISLAVA III District Court on October 31 threw out a case against former education minister László Szigeti of the Hungarian Community Party (SMK), who had been charged with fraud involving the redirection of a subsidy originally intended for reconstructing a school gym in Zemianska Olča (Nitra region) to a private company, court spokesman Pavol Adamčiak told TASR on the same day.
The court threw out the case owing to several violations of Szigeti’s right to defence in the preparatory process, however, the responsible prosecutor has appealed against the court’s verdict. Szigeti himself claims that he is innocent.
A later audit revealed that the subsidy of €116,000 was not spent by village mayor Ladislav Komjati on reconstructing the gym but on reconstructing a large hall owned by a private company.
Sme daily reported last year that the mayor signed a contract for long-term rental with the company for €1,550 per month because the subsidy was supposed to be spent only on reconstructing a building administered by the local authority. The mayor later claimed that Szigeti advised him to carry out the move, according to TASR.
If Szigeti had been convicted, he could have spent between five and twelve years in prison.
Source: Sme, TASR
Compiled by Roman Cuprik from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
