President of the Commission for Protection of Competition, Miloje Obradović, PhD, delivered a keynote address during the opening part of the expert symposium “Significance of public procurement in creating business environment”.

Addressing the competences of the Commission in this segment of business activities, President Obradović reminded that pursuant to the Law on Protection of Competition, rigged bids in public procurement are considered as the most severe competition infringements.

Dr Obradović emphasized, among other things, that detected rigged public bids are sanctioned in accordance with the Law in monetary terms in the amount up to 10% of total preceding year revenues, in addition to the prohibition against participating in public procurement procedures during certain period of time. Dr Obradović ascertained that sometimes „appears that this is not a sufficient threat to those who believe that their personal financial interests are above the prosperity of society they are part of“.

During last year, the Commission published the Opinion on the implementation of Article 10 of the Law on Protection of Competition, thus defining the position of the Commission in the case of affiliated undertakings in public procurement procedures. The intent of the Commission during drafting of this document, as dr Obradović also specified, was to secure achievement of a higher degree of legal security of all undertakings in public procurement procedures, increased transparency of the Commission’s operations and more efficient implementation of the Law on Protection of Competition, as well as of the Public Procurement Law.

In the second part of the symposium, the Commission representative, Vladimir Antonijević, presented the role of the Commission for Protection of Competition in public procurement procedures.

The symposium was organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia in cooperation with the Commission for Protection of Competition, Public Procurement Office and Republic Commission for Protection of Rights in Public Procurement Procedures.