Russian antitrust: Truce with Google most unlikely, if only in theory

KOSTROVO, Moscow Region, Sep 28 (PRIME) -- An amicable agreement between Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service and Google, earlier found guilty and fined for violations on the mobile application market, is “almost impossible” due to the U.S. giant’s behavior, though achievable in theory, the authority’s Director Igor Artemyev told reporters late Tuesday.

“In theory, everything is feasible…The recent approach of the company does not give me a sense of possibility (of the amicable agreement). I’d say it’s almost impossible because of all those delays, absence of answers to our questions, double lawsuits to courts,” Artemyev said.

“A part of these actions could be considered as legal protection of the company’s interests at court, but another part, where the company files double suits, and other thigs are just the theatre of the absurd.”

The antitrust service earlier found Google guilty of abusing its dominant position on the local market of preinstalled application stores and ordered it to revise contracts with device manufacturers, because the U.S. company used to force producers to install application store Google Play in a tie-up with other programs of the company.

The service fined Google 438 million rubles, and the pay date expired in late August. The company can face another fine of up to 500,000 rubles for disrespect of the order.

The Moscow Arbitration Court said earlier in September that Google’s third lawsuit filed earlier the same month duplicates the one submitted in late August against the decision of the antimonopoly authority.

Artemyev said the service does not sign agreements prior to court checks. “We also want to be scrutinized when an agreement is being signed, so that we do not disrespect interests of third parties and actions cannot be contested afterward. So that all parties will be ‘fair’ with each other,” he said.

Similar cases against Google could be opened in other countries of the post-Soviet space, Artemyev said.

(63.6921 rubles – U.S. $1)

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