OREANDA-NEWS. January 31, 2013. The Federal Arbitration Court of the North-Western District confirmed legitimacy of the decision made by the Leningrad OFAS Russia regarding the Authority of the Vsevolozhsk Municipal District, reported the press-centre of FAS Russia.

The antimonopoly body established that the Authority of the Vsevolozhsk Municipal District assigned controlling functions to its subordinate enterprise – “Ceremonial Services” Municipal Enterprise, which is a commercial organization that renders burial services in the Vsevolozhsk region. In particular, “Ceremonial Services” Municipal Enterprise had to monitor incidents of unfair execution of burial services by legal entities and physical services, as well as process the documents for allocating land plots for burials.

Leningrad OFAS Russia found that such actions of the Authority of the Vsevolozhsk Municipal District violated the law; and OFAS issued a determination to stop committing antimonopoly violations (Part 3 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition”).

The Authority of the Vsevolozhsk Municipal District challenged the decision and determination of the antimonopoly body at the Arbitration Court of St Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, the 13th Arbitration Appeal Court and at the Federal Arbitration Court of the North-Western District. The Courts of all instances confirmed legitimacy of the decision and determination issued by Leningrad OFAS Russia.

“Unfortunately burial service in Russia is the sphere where municipal figures take advantage of its sad specifics and prevent competition. And, therefore, they decrease the quality of services and increase prices. It is very sad. In all senses”, emphasized the Head of Leningrad OFAS Russia, Vadim Vladimirov.