Microsoft Corporation (the United States) is intending to step up work on revelation of service centres who install clients pirated software in Ukraine, Yurii Omelchenko, head of Microsoft Ukraine department for protecting intellectual property rights, has told a news conference in Dnipropetrovsk.

Omelchenko says the company intends to combat illegal installers of software in Ukraine.

“In order to disallow further spreading of piracy Microsoft has declared a war to illegal installers of software in Ukraine. Blacklists of illegal service centres are compiled, ‘test orders’ arranged for illegal installers, when in flats instead of clients they are met by law-enforcers,” he said.

According to information from the Secret Buyer programme, which Microsoft Ukraine conducts on regular basis in order to ensure protection of consumers from dishonest sale of PCs and render assistance to vendors of computer equipment, they analyzed 816 sales outlets in 11 provinces of Ukraine.

The highest level of piracy recorded in Kryvyi Rih (unlicensed software is offered to install in 60% of cases), Odesa (43%) and Mykolaiv (35%).

According to information from Microsoft Ukraine partner, representative of Lexfor law firm Vladislav Shapoval, the Ukrainian legislation prescribes punishment for use of pirated software in the form of fine from UAH 9,600 to UAH 50,000 depending on infraction.

“Herewith nine thousand six hundred is a minimum fine in the sphere of violation of intellectual property rights, and it can be imposed if on an enterprise’s computer only one unlicensed program is installed. Moreover, not only the installer will bear the responsibility for illegal software at the enterprise, but also the legal entity which owns the enterprise,” he said.

Shapoval says that today in Kyiv economic courts are considering 23 cases on such law violations.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, Microsoft considers beneficial for Ukraine to reduce use of pirated software.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs favours toughening criminal responsibility for computer piracy.

Ukrainian News Agency