RUSSIAN COMPANY VIMPELCOM VIOLATES RIGHTS OF ARMENIAN BI LINE

Noyan Tapan

Se p 22, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. VimpelCom company (Russia) –
the owner of ArmenTel company violates intellectual property rights
of Bi Line company (Armenia), Bi Line’s chairman Hayk Khanjian and
lawyer Hayk Harutyunian stated at the September 22 press conference.

In the words of H. Khanjian, the problems of their company, which has
operated under the name "Bi Line" since 1996 and has a registered
brand of the same name, began in 2006 when VimpleCom, a Russian
company operating under the brand "Beeline", purchased ArmenTel,
entered Armenian market and started using illegally a brand not
registered in the country.

He said that the court examination of Bi Line’s suit was delayed for
a long time and has not been finished until now, whereas VimpleCom’s
suits were promptly examined and the company was allowed to register
its brand. "As a result, being inspired by their impunity and
privileged position, VimpleCom and ArmenTel not only started using
the brand Beeline but they also illegally called ArmenTel "Beeline",
H. Khanjian said. Thus, according to him, the Armenian law on firm
names is violated. Besides, it causes confusion among consumers and
has a negative impact on activities of Bi Line company.

H. Harutyunian announced that Bi Line has filed three applications
to the European Court of Human Rights and is determined to struggle
for its rights.

In his words, the court decision in favor of VimpleCom is based on the
motivation that the brands of the two companies do not resemble each
other to the point of confusion, but this motivation, as he put it,
does not correspond to the reality.