ANTIMONOPOLY CASE TO BE INITIATED AGAINST GAZPROM?

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MOSCOW, August 13 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service has begun pondering over an antimonopoly case against the natural monopoly Gazprom as regards access to the "pipe" for independent gas suppliers, FAS spokeswoman Irina Kashunina said.

"The service has asked for information from the companies Rospan, Nortgaz and Novatek on the discriminatory access to the united gas-supply system," Kashunina said.

"We've got information from each and our experts are already looking into it," the spokeswoman said.

Legislation has set a 30-day term for examination. "It can be extended by another 20 days, if necessary," she added. "If no additional information is required, the FAS will make a decision."

On the basis of the experts' analysis, the FAS commission will see whether or not to initiate an antimonopoly case against the Gazprom major.

Earlier, a representative of the Gazprom press service admitted that "limitations on gas intakes from the said companies were due to the insufficient intake rates by the end consumers in the united gas-supply system. This leads to overload on the gas transport system and reduction of its throughput capacity."

The situation threatens with wrecking the gas-supply contracts other independent producers of gas and also Gazprom which, unlike independent suppliers, has social commitments inside Russia.

"In order to prevent such situations, independent producers have to arrange relations with buyers of gas in such a way as to dovetail the volumes of gas purchases with the volumes of its pumping into the pipe," believes the spokeswoman.

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