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The Federal Anti-Monopoly Service will bring charges against the Moscow region branch of IKEA for breaking competition laws, the service said in a statement on its web site Tuesday.
The Swedish furniture store, which has three stores in the Moscow region, has been targeted under legislation that prohibits forcing counterparties into unfavorable contracts and creating obstacles for competitors' entry into the market. The statement did not identify the counterparties.
IKEA told The Moscow Times in an e-mailed statement that it had not received a clarification of the charges from the anti-monopoly service and could not comment.
Similar charges were brought against IKEA in 2007 by a Moscow prosecutor in connection with a contract with Italian clothing retailer Bolinni.
Bolinni accused IKEA, which owns the Mega shopping malls, of a breach of contract after the Swedish giant revoked its lease. IKEA said the Italian firm was overdue in its rent payments.
The company said March 30 that it would have to lay off 245 employees after months of delays kept it from opening a store in Samara and that it was reconsidering further investment in Russia, citing the "unpredictability of the administrative processes in some regions."
IKEA says it has invested more than $3 billion in Russia and had been planning to add four stores this year to the 11 that it already runs.
IKEA Faces Antitrust Charges
08 April 2009
The Moscow Times
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