By Marinos Pavlikas *
Hundreds of hoteliers and businessmen who were in the dock accused of copyright exploitation are acquitted by the Famagusta District Court.
According to the case file, the collective rights management company "ASTERAS" sent hoteliers and businessmen to court with the accusation of not obtaining a copyright license in advance.
Nevertheless, the court acquitted the entrepreneurs as it became clear that the company was not entitled to receive compensation for copyright exploitation as its representation was limited to only 30 artists from Greece. The court in the decision acquitting and acquitting the accused from its prima facie stage, states that:
E.D. M. Papaioannou
- The existence of the right for the song that was broadcast from the hotel loudspeakers was not demonstrated since the witness did not present any contract between the said artist and the company that claimed the rights.
- The witness admitted that the beneficiary of the song was a person from America who according to the law is not entitled to claim rights
In his statement the lawyer Andreas Pittatzis states "The majority of hoteliers, at least in the province of Famagusta, are in the defendant's chair. The honest judge Mrs. Maria Papaioannou issued a decision which affects all cases pending before the courts. "But it is time for the state to thoroughly investigate all those who appear out of nowhere and demand such rights from entrepreneurs and companies."
The Pancyprian Hoteliers Association, in turn, confirms the facts, while also complaining about the fact that the amount that each hotelier is obliged to pay annually in copyright exceeds on average more than 5 thousand euros.
According to President PASYXE Thanks Loizidis "We are in procedures in cooperation with the Association of Tourist Enterprises of Cyprus for the agreement of a common pricing policy in which a" ceiling "will be imposed for the payment of intellectual property rights."
The decision is expected to affect the hundreds of cases pending in the Courts, while the reaction of the state and the Police is expected, to investigate the positions of the witness who, while claiming to cover all artists worldwide, actually represented only 30 Greek artists. while for America it has no right to receive for broadcasting music from radio and television stations.
* SIGMA TV / Sections in the Events 26/10/2017