Hedviga Žáková-Malinová (source: Sme - Tibor Somogyi)
It took half a year for Hungarian authorities to assess all the necessary information before they decided to accept case of Hedviga Malinová.
The Hungarian General Prosecutor's Office informed the Slovak Justice Ministry of this in early January.
“Currently we are discussing with the Hungarian side the way in which we hand over the documents and proofs,” a Justice Ministry spokesperson told the Sme.
Malinová (who has since married and now goes under the name Žáková) is an ethnic Hungarian who reported being attacked in August 2006, after two men overheard her speaking Hungarian on the phone. Suspects were investigated in connection with this incident but not prosecuted and the police closed the case in September 2006, concluding that the attack did not take place at all; rather, it was determined that Žáková should be charged with perjury in early April 2014.
Since she had moved to Hungary and was granted Hungarian citizenship in December 2013, Žáková turned to the court in Nitra, asking to move the proceedings to Hungary. Justice Minister Tomáš Borec agreed that the official request to move the case to Hungarian courts would be sent on March 17, the SITA newswire reported.
After Hungary takes the case it is possible that the court will have to invite all witnesses and acquire new expert opinions, as well as present the evidence.
It is also possible that it will decide that the case cannot be investigated as it took place 10 years ago and some evidence has been destroyed, Sme wrote.
