9 GROPPERA RADIO AG AND OTHERS v. SWITZERLAND JUDGMENT C. The proceedings in Italy 26. From 13 November 1979 onwards Radio 24 (Sound Radio’s predecessor) broadcast to Switzerland from the Pizzo Groppera (see paragraph 12 above). On several occasions it changed its frequency in order to prevent interference with other radio stations. On 21 December 1979, following complaints from the German and Swiss telecommunications authorities, the Italian Ministry of Post and Telecommunications prohibited Belton s.r.l. (the manager of the station see paragraph 12 above) from continuing its operations and threatened to put its transmitter out of action. The transmitter closed down on 22 January 1980, was functioning again three days later and then ceased broadcasting on 29 January. 27. Belton s.r.l. brought proceedings in the Lombardy Regional Administrative Court, which on 11 March 1980 refused an application for a provisional broadcasting licence. 28. On 19 March 1980 the Chiavenna magistrate declared that the closing down of the transmitter was unlawful, and broadcasting resumed on 23 March. 29. On 3 October 1980 the PTT again demanded that the broadcasts should cease. On 11 October a second application (no. 2442/82) was made to the Lombardy Regional Administrative Court, but on 18 November that court refused a stay of execution. On 25 November the Pizzo Groppera transmitter closed down for the third time. On 13 January 1981 the Consiglio di Stato granted an application for a stay of execution pending the proceedings in the Administrative Court, and Radio 24 began broadcasting again on 16 January. 30. In a judgment (no. 1515/81) of 1 October, which was filed at the registry on 4 December 1981, the Administrative Court held that Radio 24 was carrying on its activities in Italy unlawfully. The Pizzo Groppera station could not be considered as a local radio station under Italian law, since it had a broadcasting radius of more than 20 km and broadcast only to listeners living across the border. The court added that under Law no. 103 of 14 April 1975 ("new provisions concerning radio and television broadcasting"), the State had a monopoly of radio broadcasts intended for foreign countries. Lastly, the court upheld the closure order, which was executed on 21 January 1982. 31. On 4 May 1982, following an appeal by Belton s.r.l., the Consiglio di Stato adopted three decisions, the first of which was filed at the registry the next day and the other two on 26 October: (i) an order (no. 124/82) staying execution of the judgment of 1 October 1981, so that Radio 24 was able to resume broadcasting on 9 May; (ii) a judgment (no. 508/82) allowing the appeal in part and reserving a decision as to the rest; and