OREANDA-NEWS. October 09, 2009. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Kursk (the Kursk OFAS Russia) fined "Kurskoblnefteproduct" Ltd. more than 13 million Rubles for fixing monopolistically high wholesale prices for oil products (motor petrol, grades АI-92, АI-95) from 25th May to 28th July 2009, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

On 9th September 2009, the Kursk OFAS Russia found that "Kurskoblnefteproduct" Ltd. violated Clause 1 Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (abusing dominant market position by fixing monopolistically high prices).

The Kursk OFAS Russia issued a determination to the company to fix the wholesale prices for oil products (motor petrol, grades АI-92, АI-95) no higher than the price level on 9th September 2009 in comparable goods markets for wholesale sale of oil products.

In December 2008, the Kursk OFAS Russia imposed administrative charges under Article 14.32 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations upon "Kurskoblnefteproduct" Ltd. for concerted actions towards increasing retail prices for oil products and fined the company more than 3 million Rubles. On 15th September the buyer of oil products was fined 83,000 Rubles under Article 14.31 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations for fixing and maintaining monopolistically high retail prices for diesel fuel sold through a service station in the Konyshevsky district of the Kursk region.

"Kurskoblnefteproduct" Ltd. did not undertake appropriate measures to prevent monopolistically high prices. The last violation committed by the company was a recidivist violation of the antimonopoly legislation within a year, which is classified as an aggravated circumstance.

Reference:
Under Part 4.3 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations, repeated commitment of a similar administrative violation is recognised as circumstances aggravating administrative liability, if the person was already made administratively liable for committing the first administrative violation, for which the period specified in Article 4.6 3 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations (one year) has not expired.