OREANDA-NEWS. June 20, 2012. The regional authorities obligated Republican providers to move communications underground. The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) initiated a case against the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan upon signs of violating Part 1 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The case was initiated upon the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan issuing Orders that approved the deadline for completing the works for moving suspended and aerial cable lines underground. According to one of the documents the works must be completed by 31st December 2012.

According to FAS Russia, the Orders create unreasonably obstacles for providers that use fibro-optic links for rendering various communications services to the residents of towns with population over 50,000 people, and preferential conditions for economic entities, in particular, communications services providers that have their own line and cable structures. Such actions can result in restricting competition on the market of communications services.

The case is scheduled for 4th July 2012.

On 17th May 2012, FAS found that Yekaterinburg City Authority violated Clauses 1 and 2 Part 1 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” by adopting a Decree “On Restrictions of Positioning Fibro-Optic Links on Outdoor Lighting Supports and Contact Networks in “Yekaterinburg City” Municipality”.

FAS would like to point out that in the future the Antimonopoly Service will continue carefully monitoring whether the authorities of the constituent territories of the Russian Federation and local self-government bodies adopt such acts and whether their officials exercise actions that can create additional barriers for operations on the market of communications services and restrict competition.