Romania’s Competition Council has published for the first time on its website a list of companies that have been investigated for rigging public tenders.

The list includes 35 firms, including some big companies such as electricity holding Electrica, electric equipment producers Energobit and Electromagnetica, and IT group Siveco, Agerpres reported.

Companies that offer services in the natural gas sector, such as Condmag and Armax Gaz, are also on this list.

The Competition Council said it released this list to help the authorities in assessing the participation of these companies in new public tender procedures.

The list also includes details about the companies’ behavior during the Competition Council’s investigations.

According to a joint opinion signed by the Competition Council and the National Agency for Public Procurement – ANAP, the companies involved in rigged tenders in the past can be allowed to participate in new tenders if they prove they cooperated with the competition authority during the investigation.

Electrica, the biggest company on the list, which is 49% controlled by the Romanian state, challenged its inclusion on the list and complained this damaged its image, according to Agerpres.

(Photo: Zolak Zolak | Dreamstime.com)

editor@romania-insider.com