Georgia’s Competition Agency issued $21 mln in fines in 2023
Companies in the pharmaceutical sector were fined ₾53 million ($19 mln) out of the full number, while the Agency, in its annual report, said it had closed eight cases and selected three topics of “concerted action” in pharmacy, fuel and online ticketing markets. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
Tweet 
Share
The Georgian National Competition Agency on Thursday revealed it had issued ₾58 million ($21 mln) in fines to companies for violations throughout last year, with pharmaceutical companies taking up the largest share of the penalties.
Companies in the pharmaceutical sector were fined ₾53 million ($19 mln) out of the full number, while the Agency, in its annual report, said it had closed eight cases and selected three topics of “concerted action” in pharmacy, fuel and online ticketing markets.
The body said it had fined four pharmaceutical companies - Aversi, PSP, Gepha and Mermisi - for price-fixing on oncology medicines funded within the state programme between 2021 and 2023.
Aversi was fined ₾14.4 million ($5.3 mln), with Gepha issued a ₾20.3 million ($7.5 mln) penalty, PSP ordered to pay ₾17.0 million ($6.3 mln) and Mermisi penalised ₾951,301 ($354,332).
It also said five oil companies Lukoil Georgia, Wissol Petroleum Georgia, San Petroleum Georgia, Socar Georgia Petroleum and Rompetrol Georgia had been fined ₾4 million ($1.53mln) for violating antitrust legislation by “artificially maintaining high prices” in the retail market.
The Agency added its study on the companies’ maintenance of prices between March and August 2022 had confirmed violation of the domestic anti-monopoly legislation.
The investigation into the online cinema ticket market revealed “agreements restricting competition” and “abuse of dominant position”, with the body citing the example of Distribution Company and Tinet making an exclusive contract granting the latter sole rights to sell tickets through the latter’s website tkt.ge.
The two entities were fined alongside El-tickets, the complainant in the case, which was found to have attempted to obtain the exclusive rights for their portal biletebi.ge.
Distribution Company, which operates a number of cinema theatres and screening spaces, was fined ₾1.12 million ($417,168), with Tinet issued a ₾544,328 ($202,746) penalty and El-tickets ordered to pay ₾5,368 ($1,999).
The Agency also added the companies had appealed its decision in all three cases.