OREANDA-NEWS. April 20, 2009. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) fined "Gazpromregiongaz" OJSC for presenting false information about a completed transaction. Such an offence is administratively punishable in accordance with Part 1 Article 19.8 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

"Gazpromregiongaz" OJSC committed the following violation: in April 2008, governed by the Law on natural monopolies, the company notified the Antimonopoly Services of purchasing 14.62% voting shares of "Saratovgaz" OJSC from "M.I.R." Investment-and-Financial Group" OJSC, indicating that together with the shares already possessed at the time of the transaction, "Gazpromregiongaz" OJSC and its affiliated persons controlled 49.99% voting shares of a Saratov company.

FAS Russia requested information from the regional office of the Federal Financial Market Service in the South-Easter Region. According to the obtained information, as far back as in March 2008 "RNGKh" CJSC, which is a members of the same group of persons with "Gazpromregiongaz" OJSC (under Article 9 of the Law "On Protection of Competition") finalized the transaction on purchasing 5.24% voting shares of "Saratovgaz" OJSC from "M.I.R." Investment-and-Financial Group" OJSC.

According to the information provided by the Federal Financial Market Service, "Gazpromregiongaz" OJSC and "RNGKh" CJSC, being members of the same group of persons, jointly purchased 55.23% shares of "Saratovgaz" OJSC. Therefore, the notification forwarded by "Gazpromregiongaz" OJSC to FAS Russia that the company controlled 49.99% voting shares of a Saratov company knowingly contained false information.