April 17-18, 2008
This year´s European Round of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court competition took place in RGSL´s premises in Riga.
The Lachs Moot began in 1992 and is organized annually by the International Institute of Space Law (I.I.S.L.). Each year, the winners of the Asia Pacific, European and North American Regional Rounds compete in the world finals, held in conjunction with the annual International Astronautical Congress and the Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space.
The Lachs Moot has the distinction of having its world final judged each year by three sitting members of the International Court of Justice.
This year the teams argued a fictional case concerning the provision of satellite services to lifeline dependent countries in the face of satellite operator insolvency. Two satellites collided in outer space with the result that one country was lacking connectivity.
The RGSL team was represented by Natia Lapiashvili, Philip Alexander Kraus and Dmytro Chybisov. Rector of the RGSL Lesley Jane Smith coached the team and she was assisted by Ieva Miluna who trained the oral part.
8 teams from all over Europe came to Riga. The RGSL team reached the semi finals. Dymitro Chybisov from the RGSL team and Kai Xiang Teo from Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) were nominated as best oralists. The winner of European round was team from University of Augsburg (Germany).
RGSL is grateful to Scott Group Scotland/ Latvia, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) and Latvia State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC) for their support and interest in developing Latvian capability in these fields of expertise..
The best oralists: Kai Xiang Teo (Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium) un Dymitro Chybisov (RGSL) with organizers of the competition.
The winners of European round: Christian Odehnal, Maximilian Widmann, Melanie Ortlieb (University of Augsburg, Germany) with organizers of the competition.