ANDREY TSARIKOVSKIY AND AISEN NIKOLAEV DISCUSSED GROWING PRICES FOR OIL PRODUCTS AND ISSUES IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT IN YAKUTIA

Growing prices for oil products, increased number of unreasonable complaints against ordering parties in procurement, and the National Competition Development Plan were in the focus of discussion between Stats-Secretary, Deputy Head of FAS Andrey Tsarikovskiy and Acting Head of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Aisen Nikolaev on 26 July 2018 in Yakutsk.

Aisen Nikolaev drew attention of Deputy Head of FAS that oil prices in Yakutia increased by 41%. It is, first of all, a blow against housing-and-utility companies because vertically-integrated oil companies liberalized prices in the wholesale segment but try to limit a growth of prices in retail. Such sales policy of oil companies adversely affects the situation with oil products in Yakutia.

Andrey Tsarikovskiy, in his turn, emphasized that FAS watches carefully the trends on the oil products markets and has already issued a number of warnings to oil companies. If FAS warnings are not executed, the Antimonopoly Service is going to open antimonopoly cases.

Acting Head of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) also mentioned blackmailing of bona fide business by unfair participants of public procurement. “Unreasonable complaints hamper procurement, while time is the key factor for such Northern regions as Yakutia: snow lies already in October”, explained Aisen Nikolaev.

Deputy Head of FAS confirmed the fact of a growing number of unreasonable complaints against ordering parties and the issue of professional complainants, stressing that FAS proposals on resolving the situation were not supported by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

Andrey Tsarikovskiy suggested for regional authorities to actively collaborate with FAS Offices in the regions, hold consultations on large procurements before commencing bidding to reduce procurement risks.

“We should find the golden mean: do not limit market entry of new companies, do not create artificial barriers and do not disrupt the procurement timeline, do not lock the work of the authorities”, believes Andrey Tsarikovskiy.