MOSCOW, June 18 - RAPSI. Russian Supreme Court has ruled that philharmonic societies are not obliged to pay royalties for performing classics, including Mozart and Bach.

The complaint filed by the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Society has been satisfied and the relevant provisions of an executive government order have been invalidated.

The court has ruled against any breach of the right to freely use works in the public domain, and also invalidated the Culture Ministry’s claims.

According to the statement of claim, the philharmonic society has entered into a license agreement with the Russian Copyright Society, which is automatically extended every year unless terminated by either party. In November, the society sought royalty payments for playing classical music during concerts.

In its claims, it referred to a government order.

The philharmonic society plans to submit the Supreme Court’s ruling to the district court, which satisfied the royalties claim filed by the  Russian Copyright Society.