OREANDA-NEWS. June 29, 2009. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) initiated a case against "RZhD" OJSC for violating Clauses 2, 3, 4 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (abusing dominant position). The case was initiated upon numerous petitions from Russian population, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

FAS Russia saw elements of antimonopoly violations when "Central Commuter Passenger Company" OJSC replaced socially important trains with luxury express trains of on the Kursk line of the Moscow Railway.

"RZhD" OJSC and "Central Commuter Passenger Company" OJSC ("TsPPK" OJSC) are members of the same group of persons and "TsPPK" OJSC is a subsiduary of "RZhD" OJSC.

FAS Russia established that "TsPPK" OJSC proposed to "RZhD" OJSC to introduce a luxury Moscow - Serpukhov train. Following the proposal, "RZhD" OJSC drew up a traffic schedule and then sent a telegram to the company instructing to introduce luxury trains from 1st October 2007. Trains departed Serpukhov at 6.45 a.m. and 10.45 a.m. and departed Moscow - Kursk Railway Passenger Station at 9.00 a.m. and 18.55 p.m. As a result of introducing the luxury train, several commuter trains were cancelled, that were socially important for passenger transportation.

Under Clause 34 of the Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation "On approving the Administrative Regulations of the Federal Agency for Railway Transport for executing the state function for establishing deadlines for implementing traffic schedule for passenger trains" of 27th December 2006, when several applicants express their interest for a newly opened route schedule, priority should be given to a socially important passenger train.

The case against "RZhD" OJSC will be heard on 14th July 2009.