national populism and slovak – hungarian relations in - MEK

Annex – Marie VrabcováNational Populism and Slovak – Hungarian Relations in Slovakia 2006 – 2009. Forum Minority Research Institute Šamorín – Somorja, 2009ing her unconscious. On the back side of her white blouse, they wrote inballpoint: “Hungarians behind the Danube! Free SK of parasites!” WhenMalinová regained consciousness, she was unable to recollect what had happenedto her. In shock, she dragged herself to the building of the university’sHungarian department where teachers noticed her wounds, strong agitationand the writing on her blouse. They called an ambulance immediately.The battered girl was first treated at the traumatological department ofthe Nitra hospital where they established contusions and bruises on kneehollow and stomach cavity wall that testified to punches; her cheeks wereswollen, her lips were ripped and she had suffered a concussion.Neurologist established a posttraumatic shock that may cause a partial lossof memory. On that day, hospital director Viktor Žák told the media thatthe girl had been clearly beaten and although she had not been seriouslyinjured, she had suffered a very heavy trauma and would probably need apsychologist’s assistance to be able to overcome the experience.Based on her parents’ request, Malinová was transferred to a hospital inDunajská Streda still on August 25, 2009. Here, they diagnosed her againand established practically identical wounds: concussion, bruises on her leftface, nose and jaw and contusions on thighs and stomach cavity wall. Thedoctor that examined her wrote to the medical report that the contusionshad been undoubtedly caused by hand and fist blows. After 10 p.m., thestudent was visited in hospital by three investigators from Nitra who subjectedher to questioning contrary to service regulations and despite she wasstill sedated, a point that was made clear to them by the doctor on duty.The investigators did not inform the victim of her legal rights, did not readthe transcript to her and even left out one important sentence from the computertranscript of her testimony. According to the transcript’s manuscript,Malinová uttered the following sentence: “As to whether I was on thephone with somebody or met somebody in person before the incident, Irather believe I was talking to somebody I met.” This sentence is missingfrom the computer transcript of Malinová’s testimony. 2Political bickeringSince physical injuries did not hamper her mobility, Hedviga Malinováasked to be released from hospital care on the next day. Based on herdescription of assailants from the previous day, the police produced andreleased identikits of assailants already on August 25 but did not announcewhether any matching suspects had been found; the prosecutor did not issue300