4 October, Moscow - Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Russia’s Investigative Committee and Igor Artemyev, Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service signed a cooperation agreement.

Alexander Shchukin, Chief of Central Investigations Directorate, Valery Nazarenko, Acting Chief of Central Procedural Control Directorate, Aleksey Istomin, First Deputy Head of Main Organization and Inspector Office and Vladimir Markin, Head of Media Relations Department were among the members of the delegation from the Investigative Committee in signing the agreement. Sergey Puzyrevsky, head of Legal Office and Alexander Kinev, Head of Cartel Office represented the Federal Antimonopoly Service.

Within the framework of the reached agreement the parties discussed main areas and order of partnership while implementing functions in the field of criminal proceedings, antimonopoly legislation and other kinds of activity. The agreement provides for regular exchange of information on the issues of mutual interest, joint conferences, workshops, working meetings and other events, mutual consultations, creation of inter-agency working (expert) groups.

During the meeting Alexander Bastrykin noted that the agreement signed would allow investigating bodies to receive operational data on particular circumstances of corruption crimes, to involve employees of the Federal Antimonopoly Service as specialists in procedural activities and to carry out studies, inspections and examinations in the criminal cases on an absolutely new level. SKR Chairman stressed that implementation of the agreement and joint coherent efforts would enable to fight against any forms of corruption more efficiently and would add to further economic development of the country.

Below we publish a text of speech by SKR Chairman on the signing procedure of the agreement

Esteemed colleagues!

I have no doubts that the signing of the agreement today will increase the level of informational interaction between our agencies and will set additional solid obstacle for stealing budget funds of the country.

The most important area of cooperation between the Russia’s Investigative Committee and Federal Antimonopoly Service at the modern stage is suppression of any facts of misappropriation or embezzlement of budget funds, in the first place in state and municipal purchases.

Activity of the Federal Antimonopoly Service as the most important state agency designed to battle against corruption, each day is directed to reveal numerous abuses during tenders for deliveries of goods, works and services for state and municipal needs, which as a rule entail considerable overexpenditure of budget funds.

Considering that the facts of corruption revealed in such situations are at the junction of interests of the Investigative Committee and the Federal Antimonopoly Service, our joint activity in different spheres of the countries life should have positive effect on prevention of such crimes. We have very serious capacities and there are no doubts that a constant inter-agency working group, which is being set up, will be an efficient weapon against corruption.

In addition, the agreement we signed today will enable to receive operational data on particular circumstances of corruption crimes, to involve employees of the Federal Antimonopoly Service as specialists in procedural activities and to carry out studies, inspections and examinations in the criminal cases on an absolutely new level.

I am sure that implementation of the agreement and joint coherent efforts will enable to fight against any forms of corruption more efficiently and will add to further economic development of the country.