Artan P쳮aska
apernaska@tiranatimes.com
The Competition Authority (Autoriteti i Konkurrenc쳬 AK), has recommended the Social Insurance Institute (Instituti i Sigurimeve t롋ujdesit Sh쯤et촯r, ISKSH) on Monday the 11th of May to revoke the decision to restrict the sale of reimbursable pills in a single pharmacy. ISKSH, which collects contributions for the health insurance of employees and distributes total or partial reimbursement for their health-care, had issued on December 2008 a model contract under which the pharmacies were not supported to sell reimbursable pills over a value exceeding 1.5 million Albanian lek련ALL) per month (or nearly 11.000 Euros). ISKSH stated that such a measure would establish honest competition in the market.
But the Competition Authority (AK) has disapproved the measure and has filed a contrary argument, estimating that the quantitative restriction of competition would not allow patients choose the pharmacy that they would want. “This quantitative restriction to the value of 1.5 million ALL per month, plus 2 %, brings a restriction of the respective obligations in the contracts of the pharmacies, because once the limit fulfilled, the pharmacy will not offer the service of medical distribution, restricting the consummator choice” – estimates the Competition Authority, quoted in the local press (Shqip, 12.05.2009).
The press reports that the Competition Authority (AK) has on numerous occasions reported competition disrespect or competition breaches on the part of the budgetary institutions, but that the recommendations given by the AK have not frequently been followed, and stresses that the law does not enable AK to fine the perpetrators in the cases where competition restriction has been carried out by public institutions.
