Video: No Decision Yet on Merger of Ucom and Beeline, Gevorgyan Says

During the recent session of the Armenian State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition, the issue concerning the investigation initiated based on the applications of "Veon Armenia" and "Ucom" closed joint-stock companies regarding concentration was discussed.

The telecommunications company "Ucom" is preparing to acquire "Veon Armenia" closed joint-stock company, which is the Armenian part of the VEON group, under the brand name "Beeline." In a conversation with reporters, the head of the Competition Protection Commission, Gegham Gevorgyan, stated that there has been no decision yet regarding the merger of Ucom and Beeline.

"At this moment, the commission is still analyzing the information received. We have appealed to three state bodies: the Public Services Regulatory Commission, the Television and Radio Commission, and the State Revenue Committee, in order to fully understand the dynamics in the market," Gevorgyan mentioned.

According to the head of the Commission, Ucom and Beeline currently hold dominant positions in the fixed-line sector, and in the event of a merger, their share of dominance would increase. "We will also look into infrastructure issues, the distribution of stores, or office matters. In other words, there will not be an issue left unanswered," he added.

When asked about whether to allow or reject the merger, he stated that if the commission rejects it, the merger will not take place. Regarding when a decision will be made, Gevorgyan noted that the application was submitted at the end of December, and they will try to provide clarification on the issue within the deadline.

"We also have the opportunity, after the decision, to mandate that certain services be sold and that the infrastructure be made available for other operators. In other words, we will consider all possible options," the commission's president concluded.

For more details, watch the video on A1+.