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Ivan Bartoš stated that more than two years ago, as a minister, he proposed a comprehensive reform of the Office for the Protection of Competition. According to him, the office should serve as a tool for powerful individuals to influence public contracts and the flow of billions into their pockets rather than having a control function. He cited its head, Mlsna, whom he described as a favorite of Miloš Zeman and a friend of Zbyněk Stanjura and Blažek. Bartoš wrote that the ODS (Civic Democratic Party) stopped the reform and he subsequently left the government. According to him, the reform was prepared by experts and was meant to bring the Czech Republic closer to Western democracies. Bartoš referred to an index of oligarchs' influence on politics, which he said the magazine The Economist ranked the Czech Republic second only to Russia. He added that in the previous government only the Pirates wanted to address the issue, but Stanjura blocked their efforts. Bartoš also stated that the Pirates have now won the dispute with the company ČEPRO, which had to provide information about contracts for Agrofert. According to him, the company awarded contracts worth over 10 billion directly to Agrofert without competition, and another 9 billion without competition during the government of Petr Fiala. Bartoš added that it is necessary to fight against corruption in the state and that he will continue to do so. #korupce #politik #reforma (translated)

Lukáš Valášek wrote that the state-owned company Čepro has paid Agrofert over 19 billion crowns for contracts without a public tender since 2017. According to him, Čepro began to claim that it did not have to hold public tenders after the law prohibiting companies owned by politicians from obtaining public contracts came into effect. Valášek stated that the company has relied on the opinion of the then vice-chairwoman of the Office for Protection of Competition (ÚOHS), who left the office due to suspicions of manipulating decisions in favor of representatives of the ANO party, Jaroslav Faltýnek and Jiří Švachula. According to him, she signed the opinion before her departure. In preparing it, she was supposed to have used documents from the ministries led by Alena Schillerová and Karel Havlíček, which, according to Valášek, downplayed Čepro's exceptional position, even though it is captured in state strategies. According to Valášek, the government of Petr Fiala did not address the matter, and the ministries, now again under the control of Havlíček and Schillerová, do not want to reopen it based on their statements. Čepro also refused to inform him how many contracts it has already awarded to Agrofert under the new government of Andrej Babiš, despite the ÚOHS ruling that the company is subject to the information law at the request of the Pirate Party's analytical team. Valášek added that even the ÚOHS led by Petr Mlsna, whom Babiš appointed, did not see a reason for a review. According to Valášek, the Prime Minister decided whether the government would extend Mlsna's mandate for additional years. https://t.co/O1ekCFdPwn #Česko #politika #korupce (translated)

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into five television stations for possible violations of antitrust laws in connection with their boycott of news coverage about the White House following the revocation of press credentials from three media outlets. #antimonopolníprávo #zpravodajství #DonaldTrump (translated)

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating television networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, and Fox News, for possible violations of the Sherman Act due to their coordinated decision to boycott reporting from the White House. #ShermanovZakon #antimonopolskaIstraga #BijelaKuća (translated)

The Japanese Fair Trade Commission has raided the four largest brewing groups in Japan, including Asahi, over suspicion of secret agreements on beer prices and other products, while investigating possible cartel activities of these companies. #pivo #AntimonopolníÚřad #JaponskýTrh (translated)

The owner of Pilsner Urquell, the brewing group Asahi, is facing an investigation in Japan due to suspicions of price coordination and abuse of its dominant market position in the beer market, which has led to declines in the stock prices of Japanese beer manufacturers. #pivo #antimonopolníprávo #Japonsko (translated)

Record fine for unfair agreements! It was imposed by the antitrust office on four companies in the cable cartel. It amounts to 1.942 billion CZK. The decision is not final yet. The Pirates are advocating for a reform of the Office for the Protection of Competition to be able to effectively break up cartel agreements and protect fair competition. For example, also regarding prices. https://t.co/T5nO5alNO2 #antimonopolní #kartel #férovásoutěž #CZ (translated)

Kotaku informa que Sony está siendo demandada en cinco países por prácticas antimonopolio. “PlayStation obliga a sus usuarios a comprar videojuegos exclusivamente a través de PlayStation Store. Sony se beneficia de ello, ya que puede quedarse con el 30% de los ingresos sin temor a que otros minoristas rebajen los precios.” #Sony #Antimonopolio #Videojuegos

El juicio antimonopolio sobre la compra de Warner Bros. Discovery por parte de Paramount comenzará el 2 de marzo de 2027, en respuesta a una demanda de 12 estados y el Sindicato de Guionistas, que argumentan que la fusión podría eliminar la competencia en Hollywood y afectar negativamente a los empleos en la industria. #JuicioAntimonopolio #ParamountWarner #CompetenciaHollywood

La diputada federal Iraís Reyes y el senador Luis Donaldo Colosio anunciaron que presentaron una denuncia formal contra Sony y PlayStation ante la Comisión Antimonopolio por su decisión de eliminar el formato físico. https://t.co/jiQHwRgu3p #Antimonopolio #Videojuegos #PlayStation

JAV prezidentas Donaldas Trumpas pareiškė, kad Europos Sąjunga brangiai sumokės už neseniai skirtas antimonopolines baudas technologijų milžinei „Google“ ir grasino pradėti oficialų tyrimą bei įvesti muitus, teigdamas, jog nedelsdamas reaguos į ES praktiką, kuri, jo nuomone, diskriminuoja amerikoje įmones. #DonaldasTrumpas #ES #Google