Central European Media Enterprises (CME) has been awarded damages of $27.1m by a Czech court in its long running dispute with businessman Vladimir Zelezny.

Zelezny is the former chief of CNTS, CME's Czech TV services company, and who took disputed control of the Nova TV company.

The Czech order allows CME to freeze Zelezny's bank accounts, seize art works and as well as shares in CET, the Nova TV license holder in the Czech Republic. CET is also prevented from buying the shares from Zelezny. In a separate ruling earlier last week a French court allowed CME to seize paintings and furniture from Zelezny's French chateaux and awarded the company a lien against the castles.

CME said that its bailiffs had been refused access to Zelezny's Prague properties, but said that it will pursue full payment of the award and may seek to attach other assets. Shortly after CME lost control of Nova it was forced to renegotiate terms in its planned merger with SBS Broadcasting. The merger was eventually abandoned.