The presidential administration filed an application to the Prosecutor General’s Office, denouncing the cartel agreements existing on the fuel market, Sergiu Tofilat, adviser to President Maia Sandu on energy issues, posted on Facebook, being quoted by IPN.
According to Sergiu Tofilat, the oil companies do not even hide the fact that they coordinate the prices, while the administration of the Competition Council doesn’t take any steps, as the central bank did when the bank theft was committed. “In 2019, the president of the Competition Council Marcel Răducan said that he possessed direct and indirect evidence, that they will impose penalties, but nothing was done. We all feel the consequences of this anarchy every time the fuel prices are raised,” said the adviser.
The application will also be sent to Parliament together with the request to initiate an external assessment of the Competition Council’s activity.
Sergiu Tofilat noted the coordinated modification of the fuel prices in breach of the methodology, is impossible without preliminary coordination. Both the fixing of prices and professional negligence are offenses.
“We ask the Prosecutor General’s Office to investigate this case and to hold those to blame accountable. If they need assistance, I stand ready to help them,” stated Sergiu Tofilat, adding the first oil company that will admit to cartel agreements can benefit from a reduction or even from exemption from the fine, according to the clemency policy.
He warned the Competition Council not to intentionally include formulations that will enable to annul the court judgment in its decisions to punish oil companies so that these could get rid of fines, as they did in 2011.
Oil sellers have raised fuel prices for multiple times since last December. As from March 2019, oil sellers have set by themselves the retail prices of oil products within an annual markup of 10%.
The subject of fuel prices was discussed in the last meeting of the Supreme Security Council. President Maia Sandu said that following the consecutive rises in fuel prices in the recent past, it can be ascertained that the actions of oil sellers are concerted and the solution is to return to the capping of fuel prices.
