The Department of the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition of the Republic of Kazakhstan (AZRK) in Almaty issued a notification regarding signs of abuse of a dominant position by Chimbulak Development LLP.
An inspection conducted by the APDC found that the company, as the operator of the paid parking facility at the Medeu high-altitude skating rink, had set a fixed parking fee of 500 tenge per hour, regardless of the duration of stay, without providing a guaranteed free parking period.
At the same time, an analysis of the operating conditions of other parking facilities located near major points of attraction showed that a common practice has been established in the city of differentiating parking fees depending on the duration of stay, as well as providing a generally accepted 15-minute free parking period. For example, citizens visiting the Medeu and Shymbulak mountain resorts by private vehicle had to pay 6,000 tenge for 12 hours of parking and 12,000 tenge for 24 hours. In addition, the absence of a free waiting period and alternative parking facilities created inconvenience for citizens whose vehicles were waiting for them upon their descent from the resorts.
The actions of Chimbulak Development LLP created an artificial barrier to citizens' access to public facilities and natural and cultural heritage sites.
Currently, as part of the implementation of the notification, the company has eliminated the identified signs of violation. Starting from September 1, a 15-minute free parking period will be introduced for citizens, while the maximum daily parking fee will be capped at 4,500 tenge. This is in line with generally accepted urban standards.