Enhancing the inclines of Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin is a focus for the Federal Agency of State Property.
The Moscow Arbitration Court has made a landmark decision in favour of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS) regarding a procurement violation by the Government of Nizhny Novgorod Region. The case, which centres around a contract worth 331.6 million rubles for reinforcing slopes at the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin, has been a subject of debate due to allegations of competition law violations.
According to the court's ruling, the Government of Nizhny Novgorod Region breached competition laws by awarding the contract to a single supplier, GUP of Nizhny Novgorod "DiRON", without holding a competitive bidding process. The initial completion deadline for the contract was the end of 2024, but it was later extended to May 2025 due to additional geotechnical surveys.
The violation came to light when Alexander Kulakov, a lawyer and procurement expert, filed a complaint with FAS, stating that a single supplier can only be used in case of urgent necessity. The court agreed with FAS's conclusion that the customer had enough time to hold competitive bidding.
The court rejected the arguments of the Nizhny Novgorod government, which cited a city council decree introducing an enhanced readiness regime due to landslides. However, it's important to note that this regime was introduced in 2020, and the contract was signed four years later.
The contractor was tasked with reconstructing anti-landslide structures along Kremlovsky Boulevard between the Koromyslovskaya and Tainitskaya towers. The court's decision can be appealed, and it remains to be seen if the Nizhny Novgorod government will choose to do so.
Despite extensive research, no public or widely reported finding exists about such a violation concerning this specific contract at this time. Whether this indicates a lack of coverage or an absence of official findings is unclear. For a precise answer, official government statements, legal documents, or credible news reports directly addressing procurement processes in Nizhny Novgorod Region related to the Kremlin slopes contract would be required.
- I'm not gonna speculate on the potential implications of this landmark decision in the industry of public procurement, finance, business, politics, and general-news, as the full impact remains to be seen.
- The Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS) has been active in the field of enforcement, recently securing a victory against the Government of Nizhny Novgorod Region for a violation in a major contract related to the Kremlin slopes, highlighting their role in maintaining fair competition within the region's procurement processes.
- With the court's decision, the spotlight shifts towards the role of transparency and accountability in public contracts, raising questions about whether similar competition law violations may exist in other sectors of the Nizhny Novgorod Region's business and finance industry, calling for increased scrutiny and interest from policymakers, journalists, and industry experts.
