OREANDA-NEWS. July 13, 2011. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Kursk region (Kursk OFAS Russia) fined “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Kursk” Ltd. 15 million Rubles, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The case was initiated upon a petition of “Agrocompanie Rus” OJSC and “Nipromteks” Ltd.

The Commission of Kursk OFAS Russia found that “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Kursk” Ltd. violated Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” – abusing market dominance.

The company included non-statutory requirements in the gas supply contracts for 2011: penalty for not-consumed contract gas volumes. “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Kursk” Ltd. also created discriminatory conditions for providing services: for some buyers the above provision was included in the gas supply contracts, while for others it was absent in contracts.

“Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Kursk” Ltd. is going to challenge the decision and determination issued by Kursk OFAS Russia and file a lawsuit to the Kursk Regional Arbitration Court.

“Kursk OFAS Russia suppressed an antimonopoly violation by the largest supplier of natural gas in the Kursk region. Measures taken by OFAS are socially important because they are aimed at protecting the interests of consumers of natural gas and observing the existing law by the monopolist in settlement of payments for natural gas”, commented the Head of Kursk OFAS Russia, Yuri Komov.