Thaindian News

By Madhuri Dey
Vilnius, Lithuania, Aug 25, (THAINDIAN NEWS) “Miss Universe” title is a trademark that is owned by entrepreneur Donald Trump and NBC Universal and the duo would not in anyway allow the use of the title or part of it by any organization. On Tuesday, the United States based Miss Universe Organization L.P. filed a lawsuit against the organizers of the Mrs. Universe pageant that was held in Lithuania on Saturday. The lawsuit which has been filed in a Lithuanian court holds that the organizers of the Mrs. Universe contest have violated the copyright law. The petitioner is demanding compensation for the losses that it has suffered due to the use of the title.

Erikas Saukalas, the lawyer representing the Miss Universe Organization L.P. in the court confirmed the news to media sources and explained the claims made by the organization. Erikas Saukalas maintained that the organizers of the Mrs. Universe pageant have used the title illegally because all rights for the title belong to the U.S. based company that organizes the beauty pageant every year. Erikas Saukalas mentioned that the company will be claiming compensation for the losses and added that the “court will evaluate the damage done to this trademark”. However, the lawyer added that the losses that the company has suffered by the use are still being calculated.

However, the organizers of the Mrs. Universe pageant have denied any wrongdoing and held that Universe is a generic word that can be used by any organization. The director of pageant organizer Pramogu Akademija, Evelina Gruzdiene said to media sources that the claims made by the company are “ungrounded”.