ALEX GRIG WAS FINED 2.5B DRAM FOR DISHONEST COMPETITION
Tert.am
19.05.10
By a May 19 session ruling the State Commission for Protection of
Economic Competition of the Republic of Armenia imposed the heaviest
possible fine on Alex Grig company for having competed dishonestly
in the market of alcoholic drinks.
A monitoring conducted by the commission’s specialists has revealed
that the trademarks of several vodkas disstilled by Alex Grig are
confusingly similar to some British and Ukrainian trademarks. The
specialists say that in all those cases they may draw the consumers
into confusion which is a display of dishonest competition and is
forbidden by "Law about the Protection of Economic Competition of
the Republic of Armenia."
The total amount of the fines imposed on Alex Grig is 2.5billion AMD.
At the same time the Commission instructed the Alex Grig to provide
it during a ten-day period with information certifiying that the
company has paid all the fines, as well as to stop and exclude any
further realization of those vodkas.
President of the State Commission for Protection of Economic
Competition of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Shaboyan, said it was
the highest possible fine defined by the law, adding that it was
still not enough for such a case of dishonest competition.
Lernik Hovhannisyan, the lawyer of Alex Grig, complained of the
working style of the Commission, saying that he was not even given
a chance to present explanations to the commission before it would
decide to impose the fine.
Saying that Alex Grig does not agree with the Commission’s decision,
Hovhannisyan mentioned that the Company would appeal it. He also said
it was up to the management of the Alex Grig to decide how to do it.