AFTER TWO weeks police have still not charged anyone in the case of a fight that broke out in the Prezidentka bar in Bratislava. According to witnesses, the fight was provoked by the head of the Presidential Office’s public relations division, Dárius Rusnák, the Sme daily reported in its June 3 issue.
The police are investigating the case as suspected rioting, but without a specific suspect. The investigators have already talked to at least five witnesses.
The story was broken by Hungarian-language daily Új Szó, which wrote that Rusnák, a former ice hockey player, verbally attacked two women for speaking Hungarian in the bar, after which he provoked a physical fight with two younger men who stood up in defence of the women.
Rusnák used vulgar language and told the women to leave the bar unless they speak Slovak, one of the women, who wished to remain anonymous citing fear of intimidation, later told Sme. Two younger men in Prezidentka politely warned Rusnák that his behaviour was unacceptable. Rusnák and his companion allegedly responded by attacking the young men, knocking one of them to the floor, Sme reported.
According to Új Szó, Rusnák initially denied being at the bar. Later, when speaking to the SITA newswire, Rusnák denied inciting the fight. While he said he regretted the incident, Rusnák does not think he should be held accountable.
Source: Sme, Új Szó, SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
