Press Release, 13.03.2017

The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service has confirmed the presence of a cartel agreement between the Public Chamber and the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodyozh). This was stated in the letter by the Federal Antimonopoly Service sent to Sergei Mitrokhin, member of the YABLOKO Federal Political Committee and head of the YABLOKO Anti-Corruption Policy Centre. The experts from the YABLOKO Anti-Corruption Policy Centre are certain that the officials who organized the procurement knew about the cartel agreement.

As follows from the Federal Antimonopoly Service response, there were signs of a cartel agreement between the firms OOO SPECTR and OOO BRAND CITY, as well as in the auction between IP Melnichuk and OOO BRAND CITY so that to manipulate prices in five electronic auctions. Investigation on another two tenders still goes on. A case on violation of the antimonopoly legislation will be filed. The Centre will insist on bringing the organisers of the procurement to justice.

Earlier, the Centre pointed out at the price-fixing and absurd purchases of state agencies. The firms participating in the tenders alternated the bids in such a way so that to alternately win the tenders. However, the profile of companies did not match the scope of the order. Thus, for example, a hair salon and a funeral bureau competed for the right to hold a civil forum in Grozny, Chechnya, and a garment factory had to make a report on civil society. Due to the resonance around the case Alexander Brechalov, Secretary of the Public Chamber, had to announce his resignation.

“We will follow the investigation and insist on bringing not only the businessmen in collusion, but also the officials who organised tenders to justice,” Sergei Mitrokhin said.