Baltkom claims victory in defamation case

Latvian cable operator Baltkom has claimed a legal victory in a defamation case launched by the management of fixed-line rival Lattelecom over comments made about the latter’s business practices by Baltkom board member Pēteri Šmidri.

According to Baltkom, the Jūrmalas city court rejected the Lattelecom complaint against Šmidri, news channel TV24 and Radio Baltkom. The court had last year rejected a similar complaint by Lattelecom executive Jura Gulbja against Šmidri.

Baltkom argued that its executives were entitled to comment on its rival’s business practices as a matter of freedom of expression.