MOSCOW, October 24 - RAPSI, Alyona Yegorova. An appeals court has dismissed the Belarus Food Company's (BPK) appeal of a lower-court's judgment upholding the antimonopoly service's resolution that the company colluded with others to manipulate the salt market, Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) reports from the courtroom.

BPK, MozyrSalt and Eurotrust Expo had filed a lawsuit challenging the antimonopoly watchdog's decision that the companies colluded to divide the salt market and stifle competition. The Moscow Commercial Court held against BPK and MozyrSalt on July 27, while terminating proceedings in Eurotrust Expo's lawsuit. The decision has come into force.

Eurotrust Expo dropped its suit, deciding not to further challenge the watchdog's decision. The company pleaded guilty to violating competition law in exchange for the antimonopoly service's reduction of its fine.

The Federal Antimonopoly Service concluded on January 20 that the companies agreed on how to distribute salt produced by MozyrSalt.