OREANDA-NEWS. January 27, 2009. Based on Article 33 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition", the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) dismissed the petition of "RusSol' Limited" on buying 100% of voting shares of "Tyretsky Solerudnik" OJSC, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Earlier FAS Russia granted petitions of "RusSol' Limited" on acquiring 75% of voting shares of "BASSOL" OJSC and 75% of voting shares of "Iletsksol" OJSC. Simultaneously with granting the petitions, FAS Russia issued determinations to "RusSol' Limited", aimed at securing competition on the market of cooking salt.

"BASSOL" OJSC and "Iletsksol" OJSC are the largest producers of cooking salt in the Russian Federation.

Currently the share of the group of persons, that includes "RusSol' Limited" and the above companies, is around 60% of the total cooking salt produced in the Russian Federation.

Analysis of all materials available to FAS Russia shows that as a result of the transactions on acquiring 100% of voting shares of "Tyretsky Solerudnik" OJSC by "RusSol' Limited" after winning the auction, the share of the group of persons, that includes "RusSol' Limited", can reach approximately 70% of the total cooking salt produced in the Russian Federation.

At the moment, the share of import deliveries of salt is over 30%, mostly from the Republics of Ukraine and Belarus.

Termination or partial reduction of supplies of cooking salt from abroad will considerably change the Russian market of cooking salt by increasing the share of the group of persons, that includes "RusSol' Limited", and, accordingly strengthening dominant position of this group of persons on the market of cooking salt in the Russian Federation.

Having processed the petition of "RusSol' Limited", FAS Russia concluded that the transactions can result in restricted competition by strengthening dominant position of "RusSol' Limited" and reducing the number of economic entities, that are not members of the same group of persons, involved in production of cooking salt.