The Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) in Bulgaria fined Kremikovtzi metal processing plant 300 000 leva for violation of the law for competition protection and imposition of monopoly on the market

The CPC also imposed another three fines totalling 200 000 leva to Kremikovtzi affiliate Kremikovtsi Trade for the same, mediapool.bg reported.

Kremikovtzi violated the law while negotiating purchase and delivery of slag in 2005 and 2006. Kremikovtzi had a monopoly on the production of slag in the country and is the only owner of Kremikovtzi Trade, the only distributor of granule slag in Bulgaria, mediapool.bg said.

The CPC said that during the period in question, Kremikovtzi sold slag at unreasonably high prices.

Kremikovtzi Trade, on the other hand, limited the slag trade to the detriment of consumers, by shortening the negotiation period and constantly increasing prices.

The company also unreasonably annulled contracts with some of its regular customers.