Regulator rules Gazprom violated competition law
MOSCOW. Feb 1 (Interfax) - The Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) has ruled that Gazprom , as a company with a dominant position on the national gas transportation services market, violated the competition law by unjustifiably refusing access to its gas transport system, the regulator said.
"OJSC Gazprom unjustifiably refused LLC Real-gaz access to the gas transport system of OJSC Gazprom by refusing to accept an application to receive access and refusing to enter into a contract to transport gas," FAS said in a statement.
The regulator said the application was submitted according to the procedure and in the form established by the provision to ensure access for independent organizations to the gas transport system of Gazprom, approved by a government resolution.
Gazprom, in turn, said it refused access because "the consumer's natural gas needs were fully supplied by the resources of other suppliers," and it was not able to "ensure guaranteed supply of gas to the gas distribution station in the city of Mikhailovka-2."
"However, such reasons are not allowed by the resolution to refuse to enter into a contract to transport gas," FAS said.
