The parliamentary group “Progressive Bulgaria” reacted sharply to a statement by the CEO of “Kaufland Bulgaria”, Mihail Petrov, who compared a potential collapse of the retail chain to the bankruptcy of Corporate Commercial Bank.
His remarks were prompted by the sanction imposed by the Commission for Protection of Competition on “Kaufland Bulgaria”, amounting to a total of €75.65 million. The company announced that it would challenge the decision in court.
MPs rejected the analogy with Corporate Commercial Bank
In its statement, “Progressive Bulgaria” said that a company’s scale does not place it above the law. “No matter how big you are, you are not above the law. By drawing an analogy with Corporate Commercial Bank, Kaufland’s manager is confusing the law with lawlessness,” the parliamentary group said in its statement.
Mihail Petrov made the statement during a forum organized by the Association for Modern Trade. He said that “Kaufland” was too large a company for the impact of a potential financial collapse to be underestimated, also pointing to its more than 8,800 employees.
The dispute concerns the CPC sanction
The Commission for Protection of Competition imposed the sanctions over unfair commercial practices identified by the regulator against Bulgarian manufacturers and suppliers. “Kaufland Bulgaria” rejected the allegations and said it would defend its position in court.
“Progressive Bulgaria” expressed its support for inspections by the state regulatory authorities and said that the enforcement of regulations was the mechanism through which consumers’ rights were protected.
According to the MPs, the retail chain management’s sharp reaction does not refute the inspectors’ findings. “Instead of arguments, we are hearing threats,” “Progressive Bulgaria” also said.
The next step in the dispute will be to appeal the sanctions before the competent court. Until it issues its ruling, the parties’ claims remain part of the opposing positions in the case.
Sources: dunavmost.com, btvnovinite.bg, profit.bg