BRATISLAVA, November 15, (WEBNOVINY) – The bias objection raised by national lottery and betting company Tipos towards one of the members of the Supreme Court panel that is to decide on an appelate review of the case involving Tipos payment of a EUR 66 million claim to the Cyprus-seated company Lemikon has been rejected. “The Supreme Court turned down the objection of bias. The company Tipos accepts this decision and is considering further legal action to be taken,” spokesperson for Tipos Andrea Stoklasova told SITA news agency. Tipos questioned impartiality of one of the judges.
The further steps to be taken by Tipos regarding the lawsuit have not yet been decided. At present, Tipos does not have a legal representative because its former lawyer Ludovit Krupa was recalled two weeks ago. Ernest Valko, who was murdered last week, was also involved in this legal dispute dispute and, as the media reported, was allegedly to take over the lawsuit. Stoklasova informed that the Directors’ Board will deal with this matter but the exact date has not been set yet.
After the company’s objection was turned down, the court might pass the final verdict on the appellate review. However, the court has not set any new dates. “The date for the hearing has not been determined,” the press department of the Supreme Court informed SITA. The Supreme Court was supposed to hand down the verdict in late October but the decision was postponed due to the raised objection.
The legal dispute between Tipos and Sportka started in 2000 when Sportka filed its apparently speculative complaint against Tipos. Later in 2008, Sportka sold its claim to Cyprus based company Lemikon Limited via the limited liability company Sportka Invest.
The state-run lottery company Tipos Bratislava was established and registered in the Register of Companies in January 1993 and under the business name Tipos operated until 2005. The Slovak Republic represented by the Ministry of Finance is the sole shareholder of the company. It specializes in operation of lottery and hazardous games though its network of on-line distribution-operational places and via Internet.
SITA