The executive director of Kaufland Bulgaria, Mihail Petrov, announced that the company would challenge in court the sanction imposed by the Commission for Protection of Competition, amounting to nearly €76 million. He described the regulator’s decision as untenable and warned that the actions against the chain could trigger turmoil in the economy.
“I can’t wait to go to court and tear the CPC’s decision to shreds,” Petrov said during a forum organized by the Association for Modern Trade.
The company rejects the allegations
The CPC imposed sanctions totaling €75,653,706 on Kaufland Bulgaria for three violations in its relations with Bulgarian food producers. According to the regulator, these involved pressuring suppliers to reduce prices, deducting amounts for services provided, and delaying negotiations when producers requested an increase in delivery prices.
Kaufland Bulgaria rejects the allegations and maintains that the amount of the sanction lacks an objective basis and does not correspond to European practice. The company announced that it would defend its rights before the competent Bulgarian and European institutions.
“On Monday, I was a genuinely worried man. Today I’m not very worried, because experts in cartel law examined the CPC’s decision and described it as a footballer who went to take a penalty at an empty goal and scored an own goal,” Petrov said.
“We have no Plan B”
According to the executive director, the sanction shows that administrative risk is among the greatest dangers for businesses in Bulgaria.
“Our stores are not rented. We have invested 1 billion in them. We cannot pack up and leave Bulgaria. Plan B is to defend our rights through legal channels,” Mihail Petrov said.He pointed out that the company has 8,800 employees and significant loan commitments. It was in this context that Petrov issued his strongest warning to the authorities.
“Stop, because Kaufland is very big, and if it starts down the bobsled run, the collapse of KTB will seem like a breeze to you,” the executive director said.Petrov defended the role of large retail chains as employers, taxpayers, and participants in food supply. He said that the company would continue operating in Bulgaria but would use all procedures provided for by law to challenge the CPC’s decision.
Sources: marica.bg, money.bg, bntnews.bg