OREANDA-NEWS. December 25, 2008. The Office of Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Belgorod Region (the Belgorod OFAS Russia) fined "Belregiongaz" Ltd. 72.4 million Rubles for abusing dominant position on the goods market of selling gas in the Belgorod region, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Earlier the Belgorod OFAS Russia found that "Belregiongaz" Ltd. violated the antimonopoly legislation in two cases, which had been initiated upon petitions of "Alekseevsky" Sugar Integrated Plant" CJSC and "Bolshevik" Sugar Integrated Plant" CJSC against actions of "Belregiongaz" Ltd. When signing long-term gas supply contracts for 2008 - 2012, the gas company refused to allocate gas at regulated prices in the volumes necessary for the operation of the integrated plants.

Furthermore, investigating the case, the Belgorod OFAS Russia discovered that requests of the sugar plants, located in the Belgorod region, for gas in 2007 had been filled differently. Filled requests were important for determining the volume of gas to be allocated for 2008.

Disproportionate filling of the requests put integrated plants in unequal position for signing the 2008 - 2012 long-term contracts. Under Clause 8 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition", economic entities that have dominant position must not create discriminatory conditions.

The Belgorod OFAS Russia fined "Belregiongaz" Ltd. 72 446 770 Rubles under Article 14. 31 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations.