20. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Commitments

a) Programming Rights Agreements and Other Commitments

At June 30, 2018, we had total commitments of US$ 71.3 million (December 31, 2017: US$ 99.1 million) in respect of future programming, including contracts signed with license periods starting after the balance sheet date. In addition, we have digital transmission obligations, future minimum operating lease payments for non-cancellable operating leases with remaining terms in excess of one year (net of any sublease income) and other commitments as follows:



	Programming purchase obligations		Other commitments ⁽¹⁾		Operating leases		Capital expenditures
2018	$	12,714	$	8,579	$	1,603	$	2,857
2019	22,412		2,971		1,096		206
2020	18,189		2,171		710		—
2021	11,092		9,352		617		—
2022	3,452		195		600		—
2023 and thereafter	3,444		113		1,809		—
Total	$	71,303	$	23,381	$	6,435	$	3,063


⁽¹⁾	Other commitments are primarily comprised of digital transmission commitments and the Commitment Fee payable to Warner Media.

Contingencies

Litigation

We are from time to time party to legal proceedings, arbitrations and regulatory proceedings arising in the normal course of our business operations, including the proceeding described below. We evaluate, on a quarterly basis, developments in such matters and provide accruals for such matters, as appropriate. In making such decisions, we consider the degree of probability of an unfavorable outcome and our ability to make a reasonable estimate of the amount of a loss. An unfavorable outcome in any such proceedings, if material, could have an adverse effect on our business or consolidated financial statements.

In the fourth quarter of 2016, our Slovak subsidiary MARKIZA-SLOVAKIA, spol. s.r.o. (“Markiza”) was notified of claims that were filed in June 2016 in a court of first instance in Bratislava, the Slovak Republic to collect amounts allegedly owing under four promissory notes that have a collective face value of approximately EUR 69.0 million. These four promissory notes were purportedly issued in June 2000 by Pavol Rusko in his personal capacity and were purportedly guaranteed by Markiza under the signature of Mr. Rusko, who was an executive director of Markiza at that time as well as one of its shareholders. The notes purport to be issued in favor of Marian Kocner, a controversial Slovak businessman, and to a former associate of Mr. Kocner, and were supposedly assigned several times, ultimately to Sprava a inkaso zmeniek, s.r.o., a company owned by Mr. Kocner that is the plaintiff in these proceedings.

Two of the notes, each of which purportedly has a face value of approximately EUR 8.3 million, allegedly matured in 2015; and the other two, each of which purportedly has a face value of approximately EUR 26.2 million, allegedly matured in 2016. The four notes accrue interest from their purported maturity dates. Although Mr. Rusko has asserted, both in written responses to active claims filed in respect of three of the promissory notes as well as in subsequent oral testimony, that he signed the notes in June 2000, we do not believe that the notes were signed in June 2000 or that any of the notes are authentic.

Civil Proceedings

Despite a random case assignment system in the Slovak Republic, claims in respect of three of the notes were initially assigned to the same judge. One of those claims, concerning one of the promissory notes having a face value of approximately EUR 8.3 million (the “First PN Case”), was subsequently reassigned. Proceedings on the claim in respect of the fourth promissory note (in the amount of approximately EUR 26.2 million) were terminated in January 2017 by the presiding judge because the plaintiff failed to pay court fees and were terminated a second time by a different presiding judge in September 2017 after the plaintiff refiled but failed to pay court fees a second time.

During the first quarter of 2018, the court of first instance began to schedule hearings in respect of the First PN Case as well as the claims relating to the second promissory note having a face value of approximately EUR 8.3 million (the “Second PN Case”) and one of the promissory notes having a face value of approximately EUR 26.2 million (the “Third PN Case”). On April 26, 2018, the judge in the First PN Case ruled in favor of the plaintiff. Markiza has appealed that decision.

Criminal Proceedings

On May 14, 2018, Markiza filed a criminal complaint with the Office of the Special Prosecutor Office of the Slovak Republic (the “Special Prosecutor’s Office”) alleging that Mr. Kocner and Mr. Rusko committed the offenses of (1) counterfeiting, falsification, and illegal production of money and securities and (2) obstruction or perversion of justice. The Special Prosecutor’s Office opened criminal proceedings in the matter at that time.

On June 20, 2018, the Special Prosecutor’s Office issued a decision to formally charge Mr. Kocner and Mr. Rusko with counterfeiting, falsification, and illegal production of money and securities and with obstruction or perversion of justice. Subsequently, Mr. Kocner has been taken into pre-trial custody by the Slovak authorities.

Following the initiation of these criminal proceedings, a hearing scheduled in respect of the Third PN Case was canceled and to date no further hearing has been scheduled. No hearings in the Second PN Case have been held.

Markiza is seeking to have the civil proceedings suspended until the conclusion of the criminal proceedings. In the event any of the civil proceedings are not suspended, Markiza will continue to vigorously defend the claims.

Based on the facts and circumstances of these cases, we have not accrued any amounts in respect of these claims.