Axel Springer, a well-known international media company, is going through potential structural changes related to its ongoing transactions with KKR and CPP. At the same time, its Polish subsidiary, Ringier Axel Springer Polska, faced a fine claim of over EUR 11 million from businessman Robert Szustkowski. Szustkowski claims that the company is delaying the implementation of the settlement reached in 2020.
The beginning of the dispute and accusations
The dispute between Szustkowski and Ringier Axel Springer Polska dates back to 2017, when Szustkowski sued the media corporation for disseminating false and defamatory information about him. This information included accusations of questionable connections with Russian intelligence and involvement in a high-profile political scandal in Poland. In 2020, the court issued an invalid judgment in favor of Szustkowski, which led to an out-of-court settlement being negotiated. The settlement was aimed at eliminating the effects of the violation of Szustkowski’s personal rights and introducing contractual guarantees protecting him against further violations.
Delays in the implementation of the settlement and the amount of the claim
According to Szustkowski, Ringier Axel Springer Polska delayed the implementation of the terms of the settlement, which prompted his legal team to demand a high financial penalty. Elżbieta Kosińska-Kozak, a legal advisor representing Szustkowski, emphasized that this is probably the highest known amount of a claim in Poland in a case of infringement of the good name of a press publisher.