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Article

11 Oct 2010

Author:
Dan Bilefsky, New York Times

Hungary: Managing director of MAL Zrt arrested over toxic spill from aluminia plant - company to be nationalised

The managing director of the company whose reservoir unleashed a lethal torrent of red sludge on three villages last week has been arrested, the Hungarian prime minister announced before Parliament on Monday. He will be charged with criminal negligence leading to a public catastrophe, and if convicted could face a sentence of up to 10 years, according to a government spokeswoman. The arrested man, Zoltan Bakonyi, works for MAL Zrt [Magyar Aluminium], the Hungarian Aluminum Production and Trade Company. He was not available for comment and a spokeswoman for Mal Zrt did not return phone calls...Updating Parliament on the government’s response, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said a new emergency law would be enacted in order to bring MAL Zrt under state control. He said a state commissioner would be appointed to manage the company and its assets...[The Prime Minister] said the government would make sure it paid for damages.

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