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BUSINESSMAN: ONLY STATE COMMITTEE FOR PROTECTION OF ECONOMIC COMPETITION CAN SHED LIGHT ON CARREFOUR'S PROBLEM IN ARMENIA
ARMINFO
Wednesday, March 20, 10:07
The State Committee for Protection of Economic Competition is the
only structure that can give exact comments on Carrefour's problem in
Armenia, Gagik Arzumanyan, Director of the Armenian Copper Programme
(part of Vallex Group), said at the meeting of the Committee leadership
and representatives of the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce on
March 19.
Arzumanyan recalled that the world known chain of hypermarkets
Carrefour faced problems with entering the Armenian market.
"It would be good if the Committee conducted an impartial survey of the
problem and informed the public of the results of its survey, because,
Carrefour is an important foreign investor. One can get impression
from Mass Media reports that there are competition problems," the
businessman explained.
Head of the State Committee for Protection of Economic Competition
Artak Shaboyan said, in turn, that Carrefour representatives have
not applied to the Committee yet. "The Committee is ready to study
the problem thoroughly and announce its position on it in case of a
relevant application," he said.
Arzumanyan argued that the Committee often initiates surveys and this
time can also do it, especially that the problem is in the focus
of attention of the public and foreign investors. The businessman
advised the Committee to learn practice of the Prosecutor's Office
that initiates criminal cases on the basis of media reports. Shaboyan
demanded facts and data on Carrefour's problem from those present at
the meeting. Talking to media, he said that the Committee is ready to
study Carreofur's problem if there are 'sufficient facts, information
and proofs.' He invited the Carrefour representatives to apply to
the Committee for discussion of the obstacles it has faced when
trying to enter the local market. In response to ArmInfo's question,
Shaboyan said that the Committee will initiate only if the Carrefour
representative submit additional information.
The first supermarket of the French retailer was to open at Dalma
Garden Mall yet in the autumn of 2012. Minister of Economy Tigran
Davtyan informed media that there was a relevant contract with
Carrefour. The minister, as well as prime minister and many other
officials of the economic sector have repeatedly come out for the
necessity of the French investor's entry in the Armenian market.
To note, by ArmInfo's data, Majid Al Futtaim Holding (U.A.E.), the
Carrefour franchise holder, started to consider its possible entry
into Armenian market a couple of years ago. Observers think that the
opening of Carrefour in Armenia could have had a strong impact on
the competitive environment in the sphere of organized retail trade,
which is actually divided into 2 large networks owned by oligarch
parliamentarians.
From: Baghdasarian
ARMINFO
Wednesday, March 20, 10:07
The State Committee for Protection of Economic Competition is the
only structure that can give exact comments on Carrefour's problem in
Armenia, Gagik Arzumanyan, Director of the Armenian Copper Programme
(part of Vallex Group), said at the meeting of the Committee leadership
and representatives of the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce on
March 19.
Arzumanyan recalled that the world known chain of hypermarkets
Carrefour faced problems with entering the Armenian market.
"It would be good if the Committee conducted an impartial survey of the
problem and informed the public of the results of its survey, because,
Carrefour is an important foreign investor. One can get impression
from Mass Media reports that there are competition problems," the
businessman explained.
Head of the State Committee for Protection of Economic Competition
Artak Shaboyan said, in turn, that Carrefour representatives have
not applied to the Committee yet. "The Committee is ready to study
the problem thoroughly and announce its position on it in case of a
relevant application," he said.
Arzumanyan argued that the Committee often initiates surveys and this
time can also do it, especially that the problem is in the focus
of attention of the public and foreign investors. The businessman
advised the Committee to learn practice of the Prosecutor's Office
that initiates criminal cases on the basis of media reports. Shaboyan
demanded facts and data on Carrefour's problem from those present at
the meeting. Talking to media, he said that the Committee is ready to
study Carreofur's problem if there are 'sufficient facts, information
and proofs.' He invited the Carrefour representatives to apply to
the Committee for discussion of the obstacles it has faced when
trying to enter the local market. In response to ArmInfo's question,
Shaboyan said that the Committee will initiate only if the Carrefour
representative submit additional information.
The first supermarket of the French retailer was to open at Dalma
Garden Mall yet in the autumn of 2012. Minister of Economy Tigran
Davtyan informed media that there was a relevant contract with
Carrefour. The minister, as well as prime minister and many other
officials of the economic sector have repeatedly come out for the
necessity of the French investor's entry in the Armenian market.
To note, by ArmInfo's data, Majid Al Futtaim Holding (U.A.E.), the
Carrefour franchise holder, started to consider its possible entry
into Armenian market a couple of years ago. Observers think that the
opening of Carrefour in Armenia could have had a strong impact on
the competitive environment in the sphere of organized retail trade,
which is actually divided into 2 large networks owned by oligarch
parliamentarians.
From: Baghdasarian