A court decision bound to be applicable for similar cases was issued by the Court of Appeals of Thessaloniki, according to which the President of the Panhellenic Federation of Pontian Associations (POPS), Charalambos Apostolides was found innocent.
Apostolides refused to pay fees for intellectual property rights for Pontian songs being broadcast through the radio station of the federation, to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AEPI).
The President of POPS lawyer Charalambos Apostolides, was charged with violation of property rights law because he refused to pay compensation for intellectual property in order to broadcast Pontian songs through the Federation’s radio station in Thessaloniki. Following a proposal of the district attorney to remove charges, the judges unanimously decided on the president’s acquittal, while the reasoning behind the court decision is bound to be released in the near future.
“By written opinion of scientists – folklorists, Pontian songs are classified as folk and of unknown composer and lyricist. Therefore, having to pay compensation for intellectual property rights by the Radio Station of POPS would be considered as an act of sacrilege and exploitation of our birthplace”, mentioned the President of the Greeks of Pontus in court, adding that “POPS will not pay a single cent, to those who exploit the culture of Hellenism of Pontus”.
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