OREANDA-NEWS. May 25, 2009. The Sverdlovsk OFAS Russia fined "Sverdlovenergosbyt" OJSC 14.446.000 Rubles for violating the antimonopoly legislation, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

On 16th February 2009, OFAS Russia finalized the case against "Sverdlovenergosbyt" OJSC and pronounced that the company violated Clause 5 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (abusing dominant position).

Clause 5 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" prohibits actions (lack of actions) by an economic entity that has dominant position, which result or can result in preventing, restricting or eliminating competition and (or) infringing the interests of other persons, including economically or technologically unjustified refusal or avoidance from signing contracts with certain buyers (customers) provided a possibility of producing or supplying the relevant goods is available.

"Sverdlovenergosbyt" OJSC violated the law by avoiding signing contracts for energy supplies with an individual entrepreneur Ms Mazitova and an individual entrepreneur Ms Romanova on the grounds of an absence of the Act of separating balance inventory and operational responsibility upon availability of an indirect connection to the electric grid.

An administrative offence under Article 14.31 of the Code of the Russian federation on Administrative Violations (abusing dominant position on the goods market) is punishable by an administrative fine in the amount from 1 to 15% of the proceeds gained by the violator from selling the goods (works, services) on the market where the violations was committed.