Guinness accuses Greek Cyprus of unauthorized use

NICOSIA – Agence France-Presse

Greek Cyprus presidential election ballots must be reprinted due to copyright infringement after the Guinness World Records complained of a candidate’s use of its logo, state radio reported Jan. 29.

Some 570,000 ballot papers for the election scheduled to be held on Feb. 17 will now have to be destroyed and a new batch printed at the cost of 40,000 Euros ($54,000).

The decision was taken by lawyer Petros Clerides after Guinness contacted the electoral authority to say it had forbidden the candidate from using its symbol for polling purposes.

Independent candidate Andreas Efstratiou had used the symbol on his ballot paper in 2008 after he entered the Guinness record books in 2007 for making the longest wedding dress train in the world.

Guinness told the electoral authorities that bridal wear shop owner Efstratiou was informed he could not use their logo for electioneering back in 2011, the radio station reported.

Efstratiou may be asked to pay for the cost of reprinting the ballot papers, it added.