OREANDA-NEWS. On April 09, 2009 the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Penza Region (OFAS Russia) found that "Penzanefteproduct" CJSC and "Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhsknefteproduct" Ltd. violated Clause 1 Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (prohibiting competition-restrictive agreements and concerted actions), reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

Following the FAS Russia's instructions, the Penza OFAS Russia inspected and analyzed the data of the weekly monitoring of oil products prices in the Penza region and discovered the signs of concerted maintenance of retail prices for motor petrol and diesel fuel of different grades by oil companies in Penza.

The Commission could not finalize the case on 25th February 2009 and the proceedings in the case were adjourned until 9th April 2009 to investigate additional circumstances.

At the next case hearing, the Penza OFAS Russia examined the presented documents and heard the arguments of the parties, and finally pronounced that "Penzanefteproduct" CJSC and "Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhsknefteproduct" Ltd. violated the antimonopoly legislation.

Under Article 14.32 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations, concerted actions are punishable by a fine from 1 to 15% of the companies' turnover on the market where the violation was committed.