The Appellate Court of Volyn Oblast upheld the complaint of the general director of the Lutsk Automobile Plant, Volodymyr Hunchyk, regarding the unlawfulness of the State Tax Administration in Volyn Oblast conducting a criminal case accusing the plant's management of tax evasion. This was reported by the plant's press service. According to its data, the decision came into force from the moment it was announced by the judges on July 6. "This is the second court case that LuAZ has won against the tax collectors," the press service statement says. On May 6, the Lutsk City Court recognized the initiation of a criminal case against the plant's management as unlawful. The press service reports that the court decision allowed the plant not only to restore normal operations, which had been hindered by constant inspections by tax collectors that were regularly renewed due to the open criminal case, but also to restore the trust of business partners and investors. The enterprise currently employs about 1,300 people, with an average salary at the plant of 800 hryvnias. In the 1st quarter of 2004, LuAZ paid 2.5 million hryvnias to the budget and off-budget funds. As already reported, the administration and employees of the Lutsk Automobile Plant had previously accused the State Tax Administration in Volyn Oblast of pressuring the Appellate Court of Volyn Oblast, which was then considering the decision of the Lutsk city court that recognized as unlawful the Volyn State Tax Administration's resolution to open a criminal case on the fact of the plant's tax evasion. According to the plant, the opened criminal case was essentially a criminal case against the plant's management. In 2003, LuAZ reduced automobile production by 10.8%, or by 1,391 vehicles compared to 2002, to 11,435 vehicles. 81.11% of the plant's shares belong to the Ukrprominvest concern.