French-based Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (formerly Belvedere Group) is set to address counterfeit production of its beverages under its Sobieski Vodka brand in Ukraine after its corporate rights are restored in the country.

"The Ukrainian "Sobieski Vodka" you may occasionally find in Ukraine today is a counterfeit product, which is another reason why we want to resolve the legal dispute as soon as possible and protect our international brand's reputation," the company's press service told Interfax-Ukraine.

Sobieski is currently produced in Cherkasy at Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits' plant, which was illegally seized by raiders last year.

The company is currently waiting for the Higher Economic Court to set a hearing on the cassation of its opponents in the Belvedere Ukraine bankruptcy case.

In addition, it has filed a cassation appeal to the High Specialized Court in the Belvedere Ukraine LLC case against Oleh Taran, Oleksandra Volodymyrska, and Maryna Sinitsina on the recognition of corporate rights and the recovery of property from an unlawful possession.

"This case concerns the re-sale of our corporate rights by Avigal LLC following the unlawful auction, while the cassation concerns the refusal by the Appellate Court to allow Belvedere S.A. to participate in the hearings as a party. The state liquidator Shcherban O.M. representing Belvedere Ukraine LLC has actually acted against the company’s interests and withdrew the appeal during the last hearing of the case, which is why we want a fair opportunity to make our case," the press service said.

As reported, Kyiv's Economic Court in late 2011 approved the register of Belvedere Ukraine creditors' claims worth UAH 65.345 million. The initial claim for bankruptcy proceedings of Belvedere Ukraine was filed by Rafinade Media LLC. The court recognized the creditor's claim for UAH 9.39 million. The procedure of Belvedere Ukraine's liquidation was launched, as part of which Avigal LLC won an auction sell the abovementioned corporate rights of Belvedere Ukraine for UAH 244,496.

The company's press service commented on this as follows: "We have seen the documents proposing that the former management of our Ukrainian company should work with Rafinade and create a bogus debt through which a ground of individuals made the company bankrupt and seized the distillery, having paid less than $20,000 for it. The deal was under control of a Member of Parliament's team."

In April 2015, Kyiv's Economic Court of Appeals upheld an appeal by Belvedere S.A. to cancel the results of the auction; however, the Higher Economic Court of Ukraine on July 21 overturned the ruling and sent the case back for a new appellate review.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (formerly Belvedere Group) was founded in France in 1991. It is one of the largest producers and distributors of alcoholic beverages in France and Poland, and is also present in more than 100 countries. It owns production facilities in Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Spain, the United States, Brazil, and France. In November 2007, the group acquired a distillery in Cherkasy, having launched production and sale of alcoholic beverages in Ukraine.