Media outlook in August 2005 | |||
Laughter and tears
On August 17 the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine held a public hearing dedicated to the state of competition at the oil products market. The open dialogue had to first of all attract attention to continuation of the work of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine in this sphere, and secondly to attract the attention of the companies. The letter were rather surprised since they seemed to believe that the statement made in July by the Head of the Committee Aleksey Kostusev about closing of the case on conspiracy at the oil market meant an end of communication with the monopolists. In return the Trading House ŇNĘ-Ukraine received a notification about signs of individual monopoly at the wholesale market of gasoline, “Ukrtatnafta” — reprimand for ignoring the inquiry from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, and “Galichina” came to know that it appeared in the case on signs of collective monopoly. Having reproached the lawyers of the oil companies who attended the hearing and who tried to say something in return in the state language promising to provide all necessary reports, the representatives of the Committee gave to understand, that the hearing’s main aim was to actually attract attention to the problems in communication. The objective was clear, but already next day practically all mass media wrote that there were monopolists in Ukraine. By tradition TNK got it hotter than anybody else, and to crown it all it had not yet paid the fine in amount of UAH 350 000 that was imposed upon the company in June. The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine will draw final conclusions in late September – early October.
Source: Oil Market