Antwerp Court Rejects Polished vs Rough Diamond Dealers Lawsuit

An Antwerp Summary Court judge today (Thursday) rejected a lawsuit filed by the Belgian Association of Polished Diamond Dealers (BVGD) against the Association of Rough Diamond Dealers (VHRD) and the Antwerp Diamond High Council (HRD).  The HRD calls on the local industry  to deal with “real challenges”.

In the suit, the BVGD had requested that the court nullify the appointments of diamantaires Dilip Mehta, Chaim Pluczenik, and Kurt Einhorn to the HRD board of directors, and to appoint an interim manager for the HRD. Mehta, Pluczenik and Einhorn represent the rough dealers on the board.

Explaining its decision, the court said the BVGD was not entitled to decide who would represent the rough dealers within the HRD, adding that the make-up of HRD’s board of directors has full legal validity.

“The HRD is grateful that the court has justified our arguments,” said HRD managing director Peter Meeus.

“We sincerely hope that with this ruling, the quarrels about appointments has been concluded in a definitive manner, and that we now can return to deal with the real challenges that face the Antwerp diamond sector.”