Azerbaijan Demands from Latvia "to Return" "Agdam"

Between Azerbaijan and Latvia a scandal is brewing. In particular, Azerbaijan's indignation was caused by the flagship of the Latvian alcohol industry JSC Latvijas balzams, which produces port wine under the brand “Agdams”. Haqqin.az and Azerbaijani winemakers accuse the Latvian company of copyright infringement. Azerbaijani experts say that the recipe for fortified wine "Agdam" was developed and registered by Azerbaijani technologists. This drink entered the trade network of the USSR back in 1947 and "Agdam" was made only in the Azerbaijan SSR.

Meanwhile, Latvijas balzams categorically refutes the allegations of the Azerbaijani portal. "Portwine “Agdams” is a product of Latvian technologists," the company notes. Dana Khasana, the communication manager of Latvijas balzams, clarified that the wine with this name was very popular in Soviet times, and it was produced in many wineries, including in Latvia, but the recipe at each company had its differences, Sputnik-Latvia writes.

“Agdams - fortified wine, which we produce according to the recipe, is created by our technologists. In the production we use Spanish wine material," the company said in response to the request of the Azerbaijani portal. At Latvijas Balzams also noted that they did not receive any official claims from the Azerbaijani rightholders of the brand, stressing that their brand is called Agdams, and not Agdam.

The company believes that this whole story looks like the desire of journalists to inflate a sensation from scratch, which, by the way, is succeeding. The "patriotic" initiative of haqqin.az was joined by the Azerbaijani Center for Patents and Trademarks, which expressed its protest to the Latvian counterparts, emphasizing that Latvijas balzams, appropriating the Agdam brand, violates a number of international conventions.

Former Latvian President Valdis Zatlers pointed out that despite the fact that the brand is actually Azerbaijani, it will be difficult for the Azerbaijani side to restore "fairness", as the owner of the company will protect “his” brand, including referring to the fact that Agdam is not under control of Azerbaijan. Thus, the Azerbaijani side faces today a difficult struggle for the return of "Agdam" from Latvia.