Energy, Legislation, Lithuania, Markets and Companies, Real Estate

Sarunas Keserauskas and Dalia Grybauskaite. Vilnius, 13.10.2014. Photo: lrp.lt

The president reckons that heating and waste management prices are insupportable and cannot be put up with.

"The president spotlighted utilities and dairy sectors which have been outside the Competition Council's scope. () The regulation carried out by the National Commission for Energy Control and Prices (VKEKK) is no longer enough. By observing the processes one can clearly see that the monopolisation of the utilities sector is ongoing," Chief Advisor to President on Economic and Social Policy Giedre Kaminskaite-Salters conveyed Grybauskaite's message.

The president believes that farmers also face problems as processors pay prices lower than production costs under the pretext of the Russian embargo. At the meantime, prices of some dairy products are even rising in supermarkets. Consequently, the president said that the Competition Council should determine the reasons behind the situation.

The president highlighted that the Competition Council should improve its effectiveness, encompass more sectors, prevent cases from being procrastinated and co-operate with other institutions.

Talking about heating prices the chairman of the Competition Council said that the existing legislation often allows the situation to arise – for suppliers it is beneficial to buy expensive raw materials because it is paid for by consumers anyway.