The engineering communications companies’ cartel can be divided into two groups of companies – the Riga and the Rēzekne groups – which coordinated their actions in 33 procurements, mostly various municipal building management tenders. In Riga these are the companies SIA Adapteris, SIA Alpex and SIA Infrakom, while in Rēzekne – SIA Siltumtehserviss and SIA Apkure IM, said the acting Chairwoman of the Competition Council, Ieva Šmite, at a press conference. Apparently, cooperation between Alpex and Adapteris goes back much further – both companies are also partners in the general partnership “Siltumserviss Rīga”. “Siltumserviss Rīga” previously serviced most of the buildings managed by “Rīgas namu pārvaldnieks”, and its contract was terminated due to poor service. In 2018 the company was unable to ensure timely connection of heating for Riga residents.
Šmite said that the total value of the procurements is about 4.5 million euros, which does not include the concluded framework agreements. According to Šmite, no indications were found that contracting authorities, i.e. representatives of municipal companies, were also involved in committing the infringements.
A settlement has been concluded with all the companies except Infrakom, which means they have admitted their guilt and therefore received a 10% reduction of the fine.
The companies coordinated among themselves the conditions of participation in procurements. The Riga group of companies coordinated their actions in 8 procurements, while the Rēzekne group – in 25 procurements. The infringements were committed in the period from 2021 to 2024.
In the Riga group, the most active role was played by the company Adapteris, which prepared the tender documentation for procurements. “Communication between the companies took place before the submission of documents, via phone messages, and it shows that the understanding of cooperation and competition among the companies is blurred; nothing points to real competition between them,” said Šmite.
For the infringement, which is the most serious type of competition law violation, the companies have been fined a total of 513.8 thousand euros. The largest fine, almost 200 thousand euros, has been imposed on Alpex. It is followed by Adapteris with a fine of 105.7 thousand. The smallest fine in the Riga group has been imposed on Infrakom – 17 thousand euros. Both Rēzekne companies have each been fined slightly over 96 thousand euros. Šmite reminded that in many European Union countries such infringements are subject to criminal liability.
In the Rēzekne group, which includes two companies, according to Šmite, the companies prepared documentation for each other, while contract performance took place jointly. This may not be surprising, as Lursoft data shows that the Rēzekne company Siltumtehserviss is owned by Maksims Aitovs and Oļegs Skurjats and has a turnover of 3.3 million euros, employing 23 people and earning 657 thousand euros. Meanwhile, the company Apkure IM is owned by Igors Skurjats who, judging by his year of birth, may be the son of the aforementioned Siltumtehserviss co-owner Oļegs Skurjats. 1% of the company is also owned by Irina Skurjate, who in the period from 2019 to 2023 held 10% of Siltumtehserviss.
Lursoft data shows that the owners of the Riga company Alpex are Alberts Sūna and Igors Sūna, and last year the company’s turnover was 9.7 million euros. It earned 1 million euros and employs 124 workers. The company Adapteris is owned by Tengizs Adamjancs. It has a turnover of 4.2 million euros, employs 61 workers and earns 209 thousand euros per year. Infrakom is owned by Aivars Zalužinskis and has a turnover of 850 thousand euros, employing 24 workers. Aivars Zalužinskis is a former State Revenue Service employee, and his mother is a judge who retired two years ago.
Previously, in 2021 the Competition Council uncovered another construction companies’ cartel involving 10 companies, which were collectively fined 16 million euros. Several companies later went to court, contesting the Competition Council’s decision, but in early 2024 the Administrative Regional Court fully rejected the companies’ applications and upheld the Competition Council’s decision and the fines.
Originally published at https://inc-baltics.com/inzenierkomunikaciju-buvnieku-karteli-iesaistiti-ari-bedigi-slavenie-siltumserviss-riga-darboni/
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