OREANDA-NEWS. November 30, 2012. The Federal Arbitration Court of the North-Western District supported the decision of the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Leningrad Region (Leningrad OFAS Russia) on one of the cases initiated against “Lenenrgo” OJSC, reported the press-centre of FAS.   

The case against the monopolist was initiated by the antimonopoly body upon petitions of 12 residents of the Gatchina District, the Leningrad Region.

According to the petitioners, in the draft contract for connecting to electric power networks proposed to the petitioners they were supposed to design and assemble wooden poles on the borders of their land plots.

“Lenenrgo” OJSC also breached the period for considering the applications from the residents. For instance, one of the applications was considered for six months instead of the statutory thirty days.

Leningrad OFAS Russia established that the monopolist had imposed disadvantageous contract conditions and violated the interests of the petitioners. Thus, OFAS found that “Lenenrgo” OJSC violated Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and issued a determination to the company to stop violating the antimonopoly law.

The network organization challenged the decision of the antimonopoly body at the Arbitration Court of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, at the 13th Arbitration Appeal Court and the Federal Arbitration Court of the North-Western District. The Courts of all instances confirmed legitimacy of the decision and determination issued by Leningrad OFAS Russia.

Leningrad OFAS Russia also imposed an administrative fine upon the company for the committed violations (6,852,960 Rubles). At the moment the monopolist is challenging the determination at the Arbitration Court of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.

"There are no and there can be no legal grounds for abolishing the legitimate and justified decision. Following Leningrad OFAS Russia, the Arbitration Courts of three instances threw their weight behind the interests of ordinary citizens infringed by monopolists", emphasized the Head of the antimonopoly body Vadim Vladimirov.