Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 24 / Trend , S.Babayeva/
Azerbaijani-British joint venture (JV) AzEuroTel filed a counter-claim against the Azerbaijani Communications Ministry's Aztelekom production association (PA) for the financial damage and damage to operator's image in connection with suspension of several services of the telephone stations number 492/497/437 belonging to AzEuroTel, AzEuroTel Deputy Director General Rizvan Safarov said on Feb. 24.
"We have suffered great damage. For example, the volume of subscriber telephone traffic fell twice. The figure averaged 400,000 minutes per month, but now it has fallen to 200,000 minutes," said Safarov.
The damage caused to AzEuroTel, which serves 25,000 subscribers, is estimated at 2.5 million manat, he said.
Aztelekom said that there were no restrictions on AzEuroTel stations. Aztelekom wants AzEuroTel to pay a debt of one million manat.
"These stations work the same mode as before. As to our demands for payment of debt, it is quite justified. We have our own obligations and functions based on considerable financial expenditures. Therefore, one million manat is a very important amount for us," Aztelekom said.
"Shut-down of the automatic telephone exchanges is out of the question. The court did not take such a decision. Only suspension of services that are being implemented through Aztelekom was envisaged. In this case it is closure of access to regions and mobile calls," AzEuroTel said.
He said earlier there had been this kind of problems with Aztelekom, but they were resolved as soon as possible.
Last week the Aztelekom reported on termination of services provided by stations 492/497/437 due to non-payment of a debt under the terms of a treaty on mutual connection between the two companies.
Aztelekom said that court decreed to impose a ban on bank accounts of AzEuroTel. The ban will remain in effect until debts are paid off. The court also decided to prohibit AzEuroTel from conducting international traffic outside the Aztelekom channels.
Hearing on AzEuroTel's lawsuit against Aztelekom will be held in the Economic Court of Azerbaijan Republic-1 on March 4.
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