One year later, court case against Lepper for alleged slander still open

The trial of controversial Samoobrona leader Andrzej Lepper, who has been accused of slandering President Aleksander Kwasniewski and two former deputy ministers, Leszek Balcerowicz and Janusz Tomaszewski, must start all over from the beginning, after a break between court sessions longer than 35 days made it necessary to initiate the process once again. Although the trail began almost a year ago, proceedings have lingered due to the continual failure of Lepper's attorneys to show up in court. During a press conference last year held at the Pomorska Farmers Chamber, Lepper called Kwasniewski an idler and Balcerowicz and Tomaszewski bandits. The next court session is scheduled to take place on April 25. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3) J.K.