GSK presses for removal of controversial judge

The concern has appealed against the verdict of the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) that refused to remove judge Ewa-Wrzesińska-Józków from ruling in GSK cases. "We motioned again to remove judge Józków from ruling. We received confirmation that the case will be looked into by the Constitutional Tribunal," said Aldona Zygmunt, GSK's spokeswoman. All pharmaceutical companies involved in the debate on margin and duty obligations on imported medicines are pressing for the removal of Józków, as they argue that she was not objective in her rulings due to the fact that she previously worked for the customs office. "I hope that the final decision would end the dispute on imported medicines. The case has negatively influenced this country's image. Foreign investors from the innovative industry may now think that setting up and expanding production plants in Poland, or moving research centers here are impossible," said Paweł Piotrowski, head of the Pharmaceutical Companies' Representatives Association (SPFF). (Puls Biznesu, p. 9) D.W.