RA COMMISSION ON PROTECTION OF ECONOMIC COMPETITION FINED SEVERAL ARMENIAN COMPANIES FOR ILLEGAL USE OF RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN VODKA BRANDS

arminfo
2007-08-22 12:40:00

RA Commission on protection of economic competition has fined the
‘Salex Group’ Armenian Company to 500,000 drams (about $1,5 thsd)
for illegal production and sale of the Ukrainian and Russian vodka.

The Commission found out that the Company uses the ‘Khloptsy’
and ‘Khortitsa’ Ukrainian vodka brands illegally. The reason for
investigation of the vodka market has become the letter of complaint of
Ambassador of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Armenia
Alexander Bozhko and the ‘Image holding’ Company, to which these brands
belong. The Commission has also cleared up that the ‘Salex Group’
uses the ell-known Russian brands Moskovskaya, Staraya Stolisa and
‘Gzhilka’ illegally. Another Armenian Company ‘Erebuni Alco’ was
fined to the sum of 500,000 drams for illegal production and sale of
the ‘Ukrainian Vodka’ vodka. The Armenian Company ‘Favourite Alco’,
which produces and sales ‘Kremlyovka’ vodka, was also fined to the
similar amount. According to the Commission decision, the whole illegal
production was withdrawn from circulation during a month. However,
the Commission’s experts say that the Armenian producers of vodka
keep on using the well- known Russian and Ukrainian brands illegally
since 2004. To note, in case of the second violation of the law,
the fine’s amount doubles. However, in case of the third violation,
the Commission has no administrative authorities.