17. 05. 2002

DIRECTOR OF MAGYAR SZO FINED

SUBOTICA, May 17, 2002 - Subotica Municipal Court yesterday fined Rudolf Mihok, the director of Hungarian-language daily Magyar Szo, 15,000 dinars, suspended one year, as well as court expenses amounting to 13,500 dinars. Mihok was fined for a text published in Magyar Szo on May 13 last year. According to the ruling, the text insulted the then director of Pionir confectionary manufacturer and current chair of the Board of Directors, Miroljub Aleksiæ. In the text entitled "Guests at Don Corleone's Dinner," Mihok made mention of Serbian government official visited Pionir where a dinner was laid on in their honour. In his defence, Mihok said that nowhere specifically did he mention that the said "Don Corleone" was Miroljub Aleksic, and that he could not understand on what basis the plaintiff recognized himself in this role. Mihok's lawyer claimed the freedom of the press had been placed on trial.