Robert Szustkowski sued the publishing house Ringier Axel Springer Polska (RASP) for PLN 54.75 million in compensation. The reason for the lawsuit is the failure to perform the settlement concluded in 2020, which obliged the publisher to remove a series of articles suggesting the businessman’s alleged ties to Russia.
The beginning of the dispute
The dispute began with an article published in November 2016 by Radosław Gruca in “Fakt”, which suggested that the prosecutor’s office should investigate whether the Russian mafia was involved in the so-called wiretapping scandal, in the context of which Szustkowski’s name appeared. Subsequent articles appeared in “Fakt”, “Newsweek” and Onet, which led Szustkowski to accuse the publishing house of violating personal rights.
In 2020, the parties reached a settlement under which RASP was to remove 11 articles from the aforementioned titles and publish an apology. Although the apology was published, not all of articles were removed, which led to the current lawsuit.
Contractual penalty and record-breaking claim
In August 2024, Szustkowski filed a claim for a contractual penalty of PLN 54.75 million, arguing that this amount results directly from the provisions of the settlement. The lawsuit was filed on December 19, 2024 by the Dubois i Wspólnicy law firm to the District Court in Warsaw. According to the businessman’s lawyers, the claim may turn out to be the highest in history in a case of infringement of personal rights.
Details of the lawsuit and the positions of the parties
The press office of Ringier Axel Springer Polska said it would not comment on the case. According to Szustkowski’s lawyer, PLN 54.75 million is a penalty for the permanent failure to remove the disputed articles, which the court found in 2020 to be defamatory and untrue. Robert Szustkowski’s statement also emphasizes that RASP should have removed the articles to prevent further infringement of his personal rights.
Impact on the media market
If Szustkowski’s claim is upheld by the court, it could have a significant impact on the media market in Poland, showing that media outlets must strictly comply with concluded agreements and responsibly approach the issue of protecting personal rights. This case could also become a precedent in the context of the amount of claims for infringement of personal rights in Polish law.
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