Chamber of Commerce backing Delta monopoly appeal

Delta Holding is using a Chamber of Commerce (PKS) formulated document to dispute monopoly accusations. Delta is disputing the Competition Commission ruling prohibiting them from merging the Primer C and C Market companies to create a monopoly. Chamber of Commerce backing Delta monopoly appeal Current Agriculture Minister Slobodan Milosavljevic is also the head of the Chamber. The Konzit company, one of whose owners is Milosavljevic’s wife, also helped put the document together. The minister confirmed the information, though he added that he saw no inherent clash of interests. According to the aforementioned analysis, Delta, one of Serbia's largest and most powerful companies, controls 11 percent of the retail market and does not have a monopoly, which contradicts the Commission’s findings that put the figure at over 40 percent. At the start of 2006, Delta sought the Commission’s permission to merge Primer C and C Market, which are owned by Miroslav Miskovic. At the same time, Delta ordered an analysis of the retail market in Serbia, that was carried out by consulting company Konzit and the Chamber of Commerce. Milosavljevic was Chamber president at the time, while Konzit’s co-owner was his wife, Katarina Andric-Milosavljevic. The Chamber’s findings indicated that Delta was a "modest company, that there was still plenty of room for extending its retail network" and that it had a market share of 11 percent, as opposed to the Commission data indicating a 40 percent share. The minister last night told B92's Poligraf talk show that he saw nothing dubious in this, adding that report compiled by the Chamber had been based on official statistical data. Milosavljevic: It’s a public document, the result of one moment. It was put together in a day with data referring to one time period, and everything in it I can sign, and I stand behind what was written in it today, just as I did a year ago, when it was compiled. B92: Let’s look at the ethical side of things. Milosavljevic: Let’s. B92: You don’t think there's anything dubious from an ethical point of view? Milosavljevic: I don’t see anything dubious. Milic Milovanovic, member of the Anti-Corruption Council, says that the analysis conducted by the Chamber was one-sided. “These institutions are now popping up as Delta’s advocates, and at no stage are they attempting to display a trace, even a trace, of impartiality and to try and analyze the arguments of both sides, to weigh up one argument against another and to say that the majority of arguments are in favor of the other side. Those studies stand completely on one side, and their findings should be treated with the utmost reserve,“ he said. The Chamber’s analysis has been submitted as further evidence to the Supreme Court, that decided on the Commission’s ruling to reject the possible merger of Primer C and C Market.

Chamber of Commerce backing Delta monopoly appeal

Current Agriculture Minister Slobodan Milosavljević is also the head of the Chamber.

The Konzit company, one of whose owners is Milosavljević’s wife, also helped put the document together. The minister confirmed the information, though he added that he saw no inherent clash of interests.

According to the aforementioned analysis, Delta, one of Serbia's largest and most powerful companies, controls 11 percent of the retail market and does not have a monopoly, which contradicts the Commission’s findings that put the figure at over 40 percent.

At the start of 2006, Delta sought the Commission’s permission to merge Primer C and C Market, which are owned by Miroslav Misković. At the same time, Delta ordered an analysis of the retail market in Serbia, that was carried out by consulting company Konzit and the Chamber of Commerce.

Milosavljević was Chamber president at the time, while Konzit’s co-owner was his wife, Katarina Andrić-Milosavljević.

The Chamber’s findings indicated that Delta was a "modest company, that there was still plenty of room for extending its retail network" and that it had a market share of 11 percent, as opposed to the Commission data indicating a 40 percent share.

The minister last night told B92's Poligraf talk show that he saw nothing dubious in this, adding that report compiled by the Chamber had been based on official statistical data.

Milosavljević: It’s a public document, the result of one moment. It was put together in a day with data referring to one time period, and everything in it I can sign, and I stand behind what was written in it today, just as I did a year ago, when it was compiled.

B92: Let’s look at the ethical side of things.

Milosavljević: Let’s.

B92: You don’t think there's anything dubious from an ethical point of view?

Milosavljević: I don’t see anything dubious.

Milić Milovanović, member of the Anti-Corruption Council, says that the analysis conducted by the Chamber was one-sided.

“These institutions are now popping up as Delta’s advocates, and at no stage are they attempting to display a trace, even a trace, of impartiality and to try and analyze the arguments of both sides, to weigh up one argument against another and to say that the majority of arguments are in favor of the other side. Those studies stand completely on one side, and their findings should be treated with the utmost reserve,“ he said.

The Chamber’s analysis has been submitted as further evidence to the Supreme Court, that decided on the Commission’s ruling to reject the possible merger of Primer C and C Market.