OREANDA-NEWS. February 09, 2010. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Kaliningrad region (the Kaliningrad OFAS Russia) initiated a case against "Russian Railways" OJSC ("RZhD" OJSC) for the elements of violating the antimonopoly law. OFAS Russia suspects elements of antimonopoly violation in company's actions for cancelling commuter passenger railway transportation from 15th February 2010, which can lead to infringing the interests of the residents of several settlements in the region, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The antimonopoly body was approached by a local female resident who complained about the actions of the Kaliningrad Railway - a branch of "Russian Railways" OJSC on behalf of more than two hundred residents of Zelenogradsk.

In particular, the petition informs that the direction of the Head of the Kaliningrad Railway "On the Measures for Cutting the Costs of Passenger Railway Commuter Transportation" of 13th January 2010 instructs to "…take into the calculations that from 15th February 2010 commuter trains will not be running on the following routes: "Kaliningrad - Sovetsk", "Kaliningrad - Bagrationovsk", "Kaliningrad - Zelenogradsk" and "Kaliningrad - Svetlogorsk-2 through Zelenogradsk".

The petition also says that as a result of the expected actions of "RZhD" OJSC residents of Sokolniki, Roschino, Kulikovo and Ryabiniovka villages can be left without transport connection, because these villages are located at a considerable distance from the main roads where commuter buses run.

Investigating the complaint, officers of the antimonopoly body have established that such actions can worsen transport communication and infringe consumer interests, which means that have elements of violating Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" (which prohibits abusing market dominance).

The case will be heard on 18th February 2010.