Hearing on Cernak's Conditional Release Adjourned Indefinitely

Leopoldov, 20 May (TASR) - The hearing on the motion for the conditional release of former mob boss Mikulas Cernak has been postponed indefinitely. Trnava District Court will acquaint itself with the procedural parties' motions to supplement the evidence. The originally scheduled public hearing at Leopoldov (Trnava region) prison on Thursday (22 May) has been cancelled. Head of a civil association called 'Restart-New Life' Adina Ioana Popa, which proposed Cernak's conditional release from prison, said during Tuesday's discussions that the first 90 days are the most important for resocialisation in the case of release. "We've drawn up an individual resocialisation plan, which is part of the proposal for release," she noted, adding that she believes that Cernak's resocialisation can be successful. This is the association's first parole proposal for a convicted prisoner. The court plans to take note of the prosecution's motions to supplement the evidence. Cernak asked at a public session last May that the decision on a motion for dismissal be made on the basis that it is also his personal motion. At that time, he again expressed regret for the acts committed. Cernak is serving a life sentence for multiple murders but is eligible to apply for parole because he has now served 25 years in prison. am/df