MOSCOW, February 17 - RAPSI, Sergei Feklyunin. The Moscow District Federal Commercial Court will hear on February 29 Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing's appeal against lower-court decisions obligating the company to pay an additional $2.45 million in taxes, penalties and fines, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) reports from the courtroom.

The tax inspectorate's claims dealt with the relations of the film distributor with the Korona and Viktoriya companies. The inspectorate believes these companies are fly-by-night firms that do not pay taxes, are registered to fictitious persons and have no assets or employees.

Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing transferred funds on their accounts for release printing conducted by CineLab Color.

However, the tax inspectorate found that the documents submitted to prove the lawfulness of the expenses contain false data and may be an inappropriate confirmation of the incurred expenses.

According to the inspectorate, there were no relations between Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing and Korona and Viktoriya. Thus, the funds transferred to their accounts cannot be considered as being connected with the implementation of genuine entrepreneurial activity.

In June 2011, the Moscow Commercial Court validated the Federal Tax Service's decision dated December 31, 2010 to charge the company over 32 million rubles ($1.06 million) in additional profit tax and over 24 million rubles ($801,552) in VAT.

Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing is a joint enterprise of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International and Sony Pictures Releasing International. It distributes films in Russia and the CIS.