OREANDA-NEWS. September 19, 2013. “We believe that discussing the issues of competition is very important”, pointed out Vice-Governor of the Irkutsk region, Sergey Dubrovin on 10th September 2013 at the plenary session of an international event – Competition Day in Russia, which took place in Irkutsk.

“The Irkutsk region is a large industrial area. Most developed industries include forestry, wood-working, pulp and paper, mining, fuel, non-ferrous metallurgy, power generation, machine-building, chemicals and petrochemicals, food products and ferrous metallurgy. Maintaining healthy competitive environment is an important factor for industry development”.

The Government of the Irkutsk region actively supports entrepreneurship and competition across the region: formed the “Irkutsk Regional Centre for Investments Support”, adopted programmes to subsidize small and medium business and much more.

Deputy Governor also emphasized importance of passing the Federal Law “On the Contract System for Procurement of Goods, Works, Services for State and Municipal Needs” (No.44-FZ, FKS): “It will provide a system-wide approach to public procurement which will enable eliminating unlawful practices of granting preferences to auction bidders”. To explain FKS the Government of the Irkutsk region has devised an Action Plan to organize a procurement system.

Sergey Dubrovin specially emphasized importance of singing a cooperation agreement between the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) and the Government of the Irkutsk region, stating that it would help intensify enforcement across the region. The regional Government is ready to exchange information about the state of competition on the markets of the Irkutsk region and shall facilitate training of FAS specialists in universities located in the region.

Summing up, Deputy Governor expressed confidence that FAS efforts and international events organized by FAS such as Competition Day provide opportunities for efficient exchange of experience and strengthen cooperation between antimonopoly bodies from different countries.