OREANDA-NEWS. August 02, 2013. The Federal Arbitration Court of the Central District pronounced legitimacy of the decision and determination issued by the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the Kaluga Region (Kaluga OFAS Russia) “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Kaluga” Ltd.

On 18th September 2012, Kaluga OFAS Russia found that the company breached Article 10 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” (abusing market dominance).

The case was initiated upon a petition from a resident who paid the bill thinking that calculations were made for the billing month, however the meter reading had to be filled in the bill with a pre-printed date of meter reading (a-month-later date) and were subject to regulation with the subsequent tariffs.

Having investigated the case, the Commission of Kaluga OFAS Russia established that the monopolist was forcing the consumer to use the payment procedures that did not allow clearly understanding and controlling how the paid sums were accounted for.

The antimonopoly body issued a determination to “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Kaluga” Ltd. to stop violating the antimonopoly law.

The monopolist disagreed with the determination and filed a lawsuit; however, the Federal Arbitration Court of the Central District confirmed legitimacy of the actions undertaken by Kaluga OFAS Russia.

“The ruling by the Cassation Court suppresses the unlawful actions of the monopolist and confirmed the rightness of OFAS measures. It creates another judicial precedent enabling the Antimonopoly Service to efficiently protect citizens”, commented the Head of Kaluga OFAS Russia, Igor Baranov.