In the Irkutsk region, due to a sharp rise in wholesale fuel prices, the authorities together with the antimonopoly service are looking for ways to curb gasoline price increases. Although retail prices are still around 20 rubles per liter of AI 92, intermediaries and possible collusion among sellers are already being checked because of too high margin. The results of joint work to stabilize petroleum product prices are promised to be presented to the governor in the coming days.

The reason is the increase in wholesale fuel prices. Regional authorities, together with the Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service for the Irkutsk Region, are taking measures to stabilize the cost of petroleum products.
Retail gasoline prices have not changed for 2 months — on average 20 rubles per liter of AI-92. However, in the very near future this figure is expected to rise. The wholesale cost of fuel has increased by almost 2 times. The Office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service for the Irkutsk Region has raised the alarm — there are no reasons for such a price increase. A meeting was held in the Government of the Irkutsk Region between the regional leadership and representatives of the supervisory authority. First of all, the antimonopoly service intends to deal with the size of the “margin” received by intermediaries between the wholesale and retail price of fuel sales. Sometimes it reaches 11 rubles per liter of gasoline.
Valentina Zamorina, head of the territorial office of the Federal Antimonopoly Service for the Irkutsk Region: “Under current conditions, this is unacceptable. We are now conducting inspections together with internal affairs bodies and are deciding whether to initiate a case on the fact of collusion among retail sellers to exceed the level of profitability and obtain an unjustifiably high ‘margin’ on the sale of certain types of petroleum products in the markets of the Irkutsk Region.”
Sergey Sokol, First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Irkutsk Region: “Inflated prices are a very big problem. And this not only forces us to spend more at gas stations, but also leads to higher prices for transportation, for essential goods, and in general affects social stability and economic efficiency — this is exactly what we are now paying special attention to during this difficult period.”
Back in May of last year, the antimonopoly service opened a case against the largest supplier of petroleum products, Rosneft. The company created preferential conditions for the purchase of fuel for its subsidiaries and discriminatory conditions for other buyers. As a result, it violated competition law. In September, the antimonopoly service imposed sanctions on Rosneft in the amount of 229 million rubles. After that, gasoline prices began to fall.
Over the course of two days, the regional government, together with the federal antimonopoly service in the region, will develop measures to stabilize prices for petroleum products. On Friday, the results will be reported to the Governor of the Irkutsk Region.