OREANDA-NEWS. On August 07, 2007 the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) summarized the results of checking violations of the existing legislation by the authorities that allocated plots of land for housing construction in the second quarter of 2007, reported the press-centre of  FAS Russia.

In the designated period the authorities allocated 739 land plots, of which 600 - through the auctions. The audit revealed 79 violations.

"Currently we are observing rapid growth of a number of auctions: from 98 in the forth quarter of 2005 to 333 and 600 in the first and second quarters of 2007 accordingly. It means that the construction sector is moving towards transparent market relations, and а common construction space is being created in the Russian Federation", - comments Vladimir Yefimov, the Head of the Department of Control over Public Utilities, Construction and Natural Resources.

Moreover, the number of violations committed by the authorities is declining, although they still occur despite tough control exercised by the antimonopoly service.

"FAS Russia initiates antimonopoly investigations on all cases of illegal allocation of the land plots; depending on the outcome of the investigation, the decision passed by the authorities as well as the lease agreement that stems from it should be withdrawn", - states Vladimir Yefimov. Since the end of 2005 FAS has revealed over 700 violations of the existing legislation related to allocation of the land plots for housing construction.

Under the Land Code of the Russian Federation, plots of land for housing construction and comprehensive regional development should be allocated only through auctions. The existing rules on allocating the plots for housing construction were adopted in form of amendments to the Land Code of the Russian Federation in 2004 and entered into force on 1st October 2005. Since that moment FAS Russia carries out quarterly checks of the auction procedures for allocating land plots for housing construction executed by the authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Land Code.