UA:PBC Board Member, Inna Grebenyuk has confirmed that UA:PBC will be going to court on October 30th in its on-going case for the return of 15 Million Euro Guarantee.
In an interview with Detector Media, Inna Grebenyuk has confirmed that UA:PBC and the Ukrainian Government will be going to court on October 30th, in the on-going case regarding the freezing of a 15 Million Euro Guarantee provided for the Eurovision Song Contest 2017.
The European Broadcasting Union requested that the Ukrainian Authorities provide a financial guarantee in the event that they were unable to host the competition. The 15 Million Euros requested was held in a Swiss bank account and did not need to be used. It was the first time that the European Broadcasting Union has called for a financial guarantee from a host broadcaster of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Following the contest it was revealed that a legal dispute had resulted in the 15 Million Euro Guarantee being frozen in a Swiss bank account. According to UA:PBC, the dispute is centered around Euronews and UA:PBC. National Television of Ukraine terminated a contract between the two entities in 2014 just before Euronews had been set to launch broadcasts in Ukrainian. Euronews subsequently demanded a fine of 10.59 million Euros from the Ukrainian broadcaster. The claim has since gone to court on two occasions, following an appeal in the first case, it has been deemed that the successor to National Television Ukraine is required to pay the 10.59 million Euro fine. The dispute between the two parties denied by the Head of Euronews, the European Broadcasting Union has also confirmed that they did not initiate the seizure.
At the court hearing on October 30, it will be decided whether the 15 Million Euros will be returned, frozen or seized. Both parties will then have the right to appeal the decision, both UA:PBC and the Ukrainian Government are both being represented by Swiss law firms.
Source: Detector Media
