Libya wins lawsuit at French court against Portuguese companies

Libya has won two international lawsuits against a Portuguese company and a Lebanese one respectively, demanding financial compensation totaling 88 million Euros (102 million U.S. dollars).

The justice ministry’s lawsuit department said in a statement Monday that it won an lawsuit before the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris filed by Portuguese company Way 2 B against the Libyan Department for Development of Administrative Centers, claiming a financial compensation of 60 million Euros (69 million dollars) for damages suffered in Libya during the 2011 uprising.

The Portuguese company claimed the contracting authority had violated the terms of a contract to build two university complexes. The Court rejected the company’s claims against the Libyan department.

The Department for Development of Administrative Centers is the largest Libyan institution responsible for implementation of infrastructure projects in the country.

The lawsuit department also said that it won another lawsuit filed by a Lebanese company seeking 28 million Euros (32 million dollars) of compensation. The company claims to have supplied a Libyan field hospital in 2011 without any proving documents.

The lawsuits department of the Libyan ministry of justice was established under Law No. 87 of 1971. The department represents the government and handles lawsuits filed against the country inside and abroad.

The Libyan audit bureau a few days ago said foreign companies abroad have filed 142 lawsuits against Libya since 2011, demanding compensation of 9 billion Euros (10.5 billion dollars).