MOSCOW, November 24 - RAPSI. A court decided to refund $3.6 million in taxes to Loyalty Partners Vostok, the operator of the Malina bonus program, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI).

The company paid the sum under a court order which was later cancelled.

A tax inspectorate earlier said that retail companies participating in the bonus program transferred money to the Loyalty as prepayment for bonus goods without obtaining the acceptance from Malina bonus card holders.

The Loyalty recognized the payments as discounts on products sold by the retailers and never included the payments in its tax basis, the tax inspectorate reported.

The Moscow District Federal Commercial Court revoked on August 25 the appeals court's judgment and cancelled the tax inspectorate's decision to charge it $3.6 million in profit tax and VAT.

The Moscow Commercial Court later decided to refund 112 million rubles ($3.6 million) to the Loyalty.