NOVGOROD THE GREAT, May 26 (RIA Novosti's Andrei Letyagin) - The Novgorod sanitary inspection brought a libel suit against a reporter of Germany's WDR government television and radio, and Herbert Sommer, prominent German businessman. The Novgorod-based Novtrack Co. is in his Sommer group.
The inspection appealed to the city court after a WDR television programme of June 10, 2002, "A Pioneer in Russia: Westphalian Company in Novgorod", say the plaintiffs.
Herr Sommer was pouring mud on the inspection in the cast. In particular, he said his company had to bribe it to secure necessary authorisations, add court PR.
Hearings have been appointed for July 30.
The Novgorod Region, in Russia's northwest, has never seen a libel suit against foreigners, as far as Novosti knows.
