OREANDA-NEWS. February 09, 2011. The Commission of St Petersburg OFAS Russia found that the Government of St Petersburg violated Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and the “Property Fund [Fond Imuschestva]” OJSC violated Article 17 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”. OFAS did not issue a determination due to voluntary elimination of the violations, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The case was initiated upon petitions from some NGOs, representatives of garage- construction cooperatives, economic entities, a member of a local legislature and private individuals.

462 plots of land in the Leningrad region, allocated for garage construction in St Petersburg, were offered for sale at a tender. The Government of St Petersburg issued the order in violation of the regulations and the “Property Fund” OJSC included all plots of land in a single lot.

Selling plots of land in large lots restricts investors’ rights for buying goods and violates the principle of the equal access of investors, which, therefore, restricts competition on the market of investments and construction works (services).

According to the Head of St Petersburg OFAS Russia, Mr. Kolomiichenko, availability of parking spaces is a pressing problem in St Petersburg. Abandoned and chaotically parked cars create much inconvenience and make passing through and street cleaning very difficult. However, the problem must be resolved within the framework of the law.