Roman Kvasnica, the lawyer of Hedviga Malinová-Žáková, says his client’s case is finally progressing, the Sme daily wrote on Thursday, October 27. However, he rejected a claim made by general prosecutor Dobroslav Trnka earlier this month that the controversial case was nearing conclusion.
Malinová reported in 2006 that she had been assaulted in Nitra in 2006 after being heard speaking Hungarian on her mobile phone. However, she was later accused by police and politicians of fabricating the claims. Despite being formally charged with perjury by police in 2007, no charges have ever been brought before a court.
On October 26, 2011, Kvasnica was invited to question medical expert and dean of the School of Medicine at Comenius University Peter Labaš, who had prepared an expert opinion on the case which suggested that Malinová had probably not been assaulted.
On Wednesday, October 26, Labaš identified the other authors who contributed to the expert opinion. Of the 12 authors identified, several have distanced themselves the final report.
Kvasnica said he had 200 questions to put to Labaš, but added that the expert's answers were very general. Kvasnica said that the prosecutor wants also to hear from the investigator on the case and psychiatrists who had Malinová in their care after the alleged attack. The lawyer said he had been demanding such a move for three years. Sme reported that Labaš answered questions for over three hours at the General Prosecutor’s Office. The session will continue at a later date.
Source: Sme
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
To read more about the protracted case, please see: State agrees to apologise to Hedviga Malinová.
