Baltic States – CIS, Brands, Foodstuff, Lithuania, Markets and Companies, Russia

The Vilnius Regional Court on Nov. 18 temporarily prohibited Naujoji Ruta from using the name of Meskute Sleivakoje (Little Clumsy Bear), which is the Lithuanian equivalent for Krasny Oktyabr's Mishka Kosolapy, on the wrapper of its candies.

"The factual circumstances and evidence submitted in the lawsuit (...) provide sufficient grounds to suspect an infringement of the rights under the Law on Trademarks," the court said.

Krasny Oktyabr had also asked the court to ban Naujoji Ruta from releasing the candies into the market, but the court did not grant the request, noting that the Lithuanian factory only manufactures the candies for a German company.

The wrapper of Krasny Oktyabr's candies features the Morning in a Pine Forest, a painting by Russian artists Ivan Shishkin and Konstantin Savitsky.

Naujoji Ruta is owned by Achemos Grupe (Achema Group), one of Lithuania's biggest business conglomerates.