Competition Council fined with a total of 2.52 million lei (approximately 521,000 euros) six companies for rigging tenders organized by Societatea Complexul Energetic Oltenia and Centrala Electrică de Termoficare Govora, between April 2017 and February 2019, for the purchase of rollers and garlands of rollers.

Upipsa companies received fines worth 130,453.51 lei; Axa Company – 222,352.96 lei; Rominex plant – 486,646.74 lei; Uzitmet Industry – 795,925.21 lei; Prelmet – 58,984.94 lei; Industrial Repairs and Installation of Excavators X – 826,723.23 lei.

Following an investigation, the competition authority found that the six companies formed partnerships in order to participate with a joint bid in 12 public procurement procedures organized by Complexul Energetic Oltenia SA and Centrala Electrică de Termoficare Govora SA between April 2017 and February 2019.

Practically, in most of the procurement procedures, from April 2017 to February 2019 there was no competition, because the only bidder was the association of five or six companies involved.