ST. PETERSBURG, May 14 - RAPSI. The Murmansk Region Commercial Court will hold the preliminary hearing of the Apatit company's lawsuit against the Federal Tax Service's Murmansk inspectorate on the recovery of $11.5 million on May 23.

Apatit, PhosAgro's unit, seeks to recover interest accrued on excessively paid tax. The claims period has not yet been specified in the court materials.

In late 2011, the company also filed a lawsuit against the inspectorate and managed to annul its April 1, 2011 decision to charge the company 5.25 million rubles ($172,940) in additional profit tax, 27.95 million rubles ($920,700) in VAT, and 60,000 rubles ($1,976) in mineral extraction and transport taxes. The case is now being considered by an appeals court.

Apatit produces about 75 percent of the total apatite concentrate made in Russia.

Russian phosphorous fertilizer producers are its main customers.

PhosAgro holds a 57.57 percent stake in Apatit. Another 10.3 percent belongs to Nordik Rus Holding. The remaining shareholders have not been disclosed.