OREANDA-NEWS. On July 15, 2008 Based on the inspection of the coking coal market, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) has initiated a case against "Mechel" Trading House" Ltd., "Yuzhny Kuzbass" OJSC and "Yakutugol" Holding Company" OJSC - members of the group of persons of "Mechel" OJSC - for breaching Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (abusing dominant position), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

FAS Russia, being concerned with possible price increase for coking coal and coal concentrate on the Russian market, sent enquiries to all main producers of coking coal and coal concentrate in order to study out the level of coal supplies to domestic market, pricing procedures and price behavior, as well as the planned level of supplies and prices for the year 2008.

FAS Russia incriminates antimonopoly violations to "Mechel" Trading House" Ltd. and "Yuzhny Kuzbass" OJSC who terminated supplies of coal concentrate to "NLMK" OJSC, which was economically and technically unjustified.

"Mechel" Trading House" Ltd. and "Yakutugol" Holding Company" OJSC breached the law by refusing to conclude a contract for supplying coal concentrate to "NLMK" OJSC without economical or technically justification.

Furthermore, "Mechel" Trading House" Ltd. fixed and maintained monopolistically high prices (coal concentrate), which also violated the antimonopoly legislation.