THE FORMER head of the public relations department of the President’s Office, Dárius Rusnák, was found guilty of defaming other nation and was fined €100 for verbally assaulting two women for speaking Hungarian in Bratislava’s Prezidentka bar back in May, the Sme daily reported in its December 11 issue.
The incident cost him his job at the President’s Office, which he left in June.
Using vulgar language, Rusnák 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.
Rusnák denies that he used the vulgar language, but there were five witnesses who confirmed it. In addition to the four people involved in the conflict there was also a waitress, Sme wrote.
Rusnák’s version of the course of events was not even confirmed by the friend with whom he was watching the ice hockey match, according to the daily.
One of the verbally attacked women told Sme she is satisfied with the punishment. She is glad that the police classified it as defaming the nation and that they investigated it on their own.
Source: Sme
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
