OREANDA-NEWS. On August 10, 2007 the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) sent enquiries to producers and distributors of liquefied hydrocarbon gas (LHG) with the purpose to investigate the situation related to increasing wholesale prices on this market, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

In August 2007, FAS Russia was informed by LHG retailers as well as regional offices of FAS Russia on increasing the wholesale and, as a consequence, retail prices on LHG in some regions of the Russian Federation in the middle of 2007. In particular, prices were changed in Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod and Rostov regions, etc.

In 2005 FAS Russia had already established the fact of fixing monopolistically high price on LHG by the "Gazprom" OJSC - "Sibur" OJSC group of persons. The Court confirmed validity of the FAS Russia's decision and determinations, in particular, regarding the fact that the violators illegally received over 150 mln Rubles from their counteragents.

Currently FAS Russia approached a court of law in order to recover the above sums for the federal budget.

Deputy Head of FAS Russia, Mr Anatoly Golomolzin emphasized that "if the audit establishes that fact of breaching the antimonopoly legislation, this time it will be easier to calculate and justify the sanctions because since 13th May the Code of Administrative Violations has had new valid provisions according to which fines should amount to 2 - 4 % of annual proceeds of the company-violator".