OREANDA-NEWS. April 22, 2009. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) initiated a case against "BASSOL" OJSC for violating Part 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition" and a case against "BASSOL" OJSC and "Promsol" Ltd. for violating Part 1 Article 11 of the Federal Law "On Protection of Competition", reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The cases were initiated upon petitions from "SIBUR Holding" OJSC ("Sibur-Neftekhim" OJSC).

FAS Russia believes that "BASSOL" OJSC violated the antimonopoly legislation by abusing its dominant position on the market of raw materials for production of PVC and caustic soda - a mineral concentrate - galit (technical cooking salt).

Also, according to the Petitioner, "BASSOL" OJSC and "Promsol" Ltd. prevented entry/exit of the Petitioner to/ from the goods market.

By No.81 FAS Russia's Order of 1st July 1996, "BASSOL" OJSC was included in the Federal Chapter of the Register of Economic Entities That Control over 35% of the Goods Market, for the goods position - cooking salt (extracting) with the market share less than 65%. The geographical boundaries of the market were determined as the whole territory of the Russian Federation.

Analysis of the salt market, undertaken by FAS Russia in 2008 as part of its control over economic concentration, showed that the share of "BASSOL" OJSC in the overall extraction and production of technical salt was more than 50 %.

In addition, "BASSOL" OJSC is the only supplier and producer of a mineral concentrate - galit for "Sibur-Neftekhim" OJSC by the method of salt shipping and acceptance (by water transport, in bulk) within the boundaries of the water area of the Volga River, as well as according to the ionic and granulometric composition of the raw material.