ARMENIA LOSES MUCH MONEY BECAUSE OF VIOLATIONS OF COPYRIGHTS TO "NARINE"
Noyan Tapan
Jul 10, 2007
YEREVAN, JULY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is losing much money because of
violation of copyrights to use of the "Narine" medicinal, biologically
active dairy product and due to non-regulation of conditions of
that dairy product’s production. Elmira Yerznkian, the daughter of
"Narine’s" inventor, Levon Yerznkian, expressed such an opinion in
her interview to a Noyan Tapan correspondent.
She said that a great number of companies both in Armenia and abroad,
in Russia, Moldova, the Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belgium, Holland, and
other countries are engaged in "Narine’s" production, However, an
official contract on using the name of "Narine" and passing that dairy
product’s right was signed only with the Miki Corporation Japanese
company in Soviet years, in 1986. After the collapse of the USSR,
the Microbe Depository Republican Center of the RA National Academy
of Sciences signed the respective contract (its operation term expired
in 2004) with that company.
In E. Yerznkian’s words, the respective payments were sent to the
Bacteriology Institute, then to the above mentioned center. Some
percents from that money were given to the Yerznkians’ family.
E. Yerznkian has applied to the Armenian proper structures demanding
to give her "Narine’s" patent, but they refused her with the motivation
that the validity term of L. Yerznkian’s copyright certificate towards
"Narine," which was given in 1964, has expired. E. Yerznkian has also
appled to several Armenian businessmen with the suggestion of passing
rights towards "Narine" or its joint use, but it was also in vain.
In her opinion, "Narine’s" imitations are often produced from
"mother’s" culture taken allegedly for scientific researches, but
in the future they are used in production, without state payments,
copyrights, and observance of production norms.
It was mentioned that without consent given by the Yerznkians "Narine"
was registered by some economic entity, but another economic subject
challenged "Narine’s" copyright at one of Novosibirsk courts. However,
in E.
Yerznkian’s words, the court considered the parties’ demands as
ungrounded, deciding that the rights towards Narine belong to
Yerznkians. By the way, "Narine" is being widely used within the
framework of one of the health programs regarding Siberia.
As E. Yerznkian evaluated, the circumstance of illegal production of
"Narine" by a great number of non-specialized economic entities has
discredited it, as a result of which big specialized companies’ wish
to get the licence giving rights to that biologically active dairy
product, and, consequently, also the possibility of its recognition
as a serious Armenian brand has decreased.