OREANDA-NEWS. On October 03, 2008, the Tyumen Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (OFAS Russia) recognized that "Lukoil-Uralnefteproduct" OJSC, "Gazpromneft- Tyumen" OJSC and "AZS-N1" Ltd. violated the antimonopoly laws by engaging in concerted actions, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Officers of the antimonopoly body discovered price collusion by weekly monitoring of wholesale and retail prices at the petrol stations in Tyumen and the Tyumen district. In January-June 2008, the companies fixed and maintained the same prices for the oil products - AI-76(80), AI-95(96) and diesel fuel - in Tyumen and the Tyumen district.

During the case investigation, none of the companies admitted their guilt. Owners of the petrol stations maintained that they were selling petrol of different quality and accordingly at different price. The matching prices, discovered by officers of the antimonopoly body, was nothing more than a coincidence. According to the owners, such a situation could have risen because of the same rates for delivery and storage of oil products in Tyumen and the Tyumen region, as well as market race after the clients.

The Tyumen OFAS Russia, however, was not convinced by the companies' arguments. All three companies will be issued a determination to stop the violations.

Under Article 14.31 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations, antimonopoly violations are punishable with fines.