December 2012
WHAT IS AN ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE AND HOW DOES IT WORK IN MONTENEGRO?
Electronic signature is a set of data in electronic form that are attached to or logically associated with the electronic document and serve to identify the signatory. Beside this, advanced electronic signature is electronic signature that reliably guarantees the identity of the signatory and the integrity of electronic documents and fulfils the conditions laid down by the Law.
By implementing digital signatures, organizations in Montenegro are able to significantly shorten process times while cutting costs and improving collaboration and efficiency.
With Montenegrin Law on Electronic Signature is prescribed that the admission of an electronic document with electronic signature or advanced electronic signature may not be rejected only because it is in electronic form. Persons, who keep electronic documents that are electronically signed, shall keep data and means for verification of electronic signature as long as these documents are kept.
Electronic signature’s validity may not be denied, nor may be rejected as the evidence solely because:
- It is in electronic form;
- It is not based on a qualified certificate;
- It is not based on a qualified certificate issued by an accredited certification service provider;
- It is not created by means for creation of advanced electronic signature.
Advanced electronic signature, which can be verified on the basis of a qualified certificate, in relation to data in electronic form has the same legal force as manu propria signature, i.e. manu propria signature and stamp in relation to data in paper form and is acceptable as evidence in legal affairs. Electronic signature is made using means for electronic signature creation. Moreover, advanced electronic signature is made using means for advanced electronic signature creation. Means for creation of advanced electronic signature must ensure that:
- Data for creation of advanced electronic signature appear only once and that their safety is achieved;
- From data for verification of advanced electronic signature, during validity period of certificate, data for formation of advanced electronic signature cannot be obtained with currently available means;
- Advanced electronic signature is protected from forging using currently available technology;
- Signatory may reliably protect data for creation of advanced electronic signature from unauthorized use.
Means for creation of advanced electronic signature shall not, during creation of advanced electronic signature, change the data that shall be signed or preclude the signatory to have an insight to the data before advanced electronic signature creation process. Taking into account this basic information, definitely there are many benefits of moving to an electronic signature system, as electronic signature solutions definitely can automate formal approvals, cut costs and expedite the business processes in our country.
Radmila Radoicic ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
November 2012
ČLANSKI DOPRINOS U TURISTIČKIM ORGANIZACIJAMA
Zakonom o turističkim organizacijama regulisano je obračunavanje i plaćanje članskog doprinosa u turističkim organizacijama. Naime, Zakonom o turističkim organizacijama uređuje se osnivanje, načela organizacije i rada turističkih organizacija, načela njihovog finansiranja, kao i kriterijumi za kategorisanje turističkih mjesta. Pojašnjavamo da članski doprinos u turističkim organizacijama plaćaju sva pravna i fizička lica koja na teritoriji opština u kojoj je osnovana lokalna turistička organizacija imaju svoje sjedište ili organizacioni dio, a koja ostvaruje prihod obavljanjem turističkih, ugostiteljskih i s turizmo neposredno povezanih djelatnosti.
Zakon navodi da su osnovni elementi za utvrđivanje visine članskog doprinosa grupa djelatnosti i obim prihoda, koji član ostvari u godini prije godine za koju se utvrđuje članski doprinos, a što se utvrđuje rješenjem Uprave lokalnih javnih prihoda.
Djelatnosti za koje se plaća članski doprinos turističkim organizacijama razvrstavaju se u pet grupa u zavisnosti od nivoa povezanosti ostvarenog prihoda sa turizmom i to tako da su u prvoj grupi zastupljene djelatnosti čiji prihod je najviše neposredno zavistan od turizma, a u posljednjoj grupi one djelatnosti čiji prihod najmanje zavisi od turizma.
Shodno Pravilniku o razvrstavanju djelatnosti za koje se plaća članski doprinos turističkim organizacijama pojašnjavamo da su u:
- prvoj grupi djelatnosti vezane za ugostiteljske objekte kao i djelatnosti vezane za prevoz putnika drumskim, vazdušnim, pomorskim i rječnim saobraćajem…;
-u drugoj grupi djelatnosti putničkih agencija i turoperatora, te proizvodnja alkoholnih i bezalkoholnih pića, kao i iznajmljivanja automobila i ostalih kopnenih saobraćajnih sredstava prevoza, kao i sredstava za prevoz vodenim putem…:,
- u trećoj grupi djelatnosti vezano za kockanje i klađenje, te tretmani za poboljšanje fizičkog stanja i raspoloženja, usluge u drumskom saobraćaju, opravka i održavanje motornih vozila kao i trgovina na veliko čvrstim, tečnim i gasovitim gorivima i sličnim proizvodima…:
- u četvrtoj grupi djelatnosti vezane za proizvodnju nakita i sličnih predmeta, rad umjetničkih ustanova, frizerski i drugi tretmani za uljepšavanje, te djelatnosti pošta,osiguranja života i ostala osiguranja..:,
- u petoj grupi djelatnosti vezane za trgovinu na veliko i malo voćem i povrćem, mesom i proizvodima od mesa, mliječnim proizvodima, jajima i jestivim uljima, alkoholnim i drugim pićima, duvanskim proizvodima, te trgovina na malo medicinskim preparatima, tekstiklom, odjećom... Razvrstavanje djelatnosti po pojedinim grupama vrši se prema propisu koje donosi Ministarstvo. Visina godišnjeg članskog doprinosa utvrđuje se u rasponu od 50 do 10.00 eura. Visinu navedenog doprinosa određuju opštine svojim propisima, u zavisnosti od grupe djelatnosti i obima prihoda koje član ostvari u godini prije godine za koju se utvrđuje članski doprinos. Način obračunavanja i plaćanja članskog doprinosa uređuje takodje opština svojim propisima. Prikupljena sredstva od članskog doprinosa koriste se za finansiranje djelatnosti lokalne turističke organizacija u iznosu od 70%, a 30% za finansiranje programa Nacionalne turističke organizacije. Nadzor nad utvrđivanjem, obračunavanjem i plaćanjem članskog doprinosa vrši nadležni poreski organ opštine.
Shodno prednjem može se izvesti zaključak da su Pravilnikom o razvrstavanju djelatnosti za koje se plaća članski doprinos turističkim organizacijama obuhvaćene i one djelatnosti koje nijesu u neposrednoj vezi sa turizmom, kao i djelatnosti čiji prihodi ne zavise od turizma, na koji način su takve djelatnosti nepotrebno opterećene obavezom plaćanja članskog doprinosa.
Dalfina Zuric ...... duda.zuric@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Oktobar 2012
Postupak utvrđivanja poreza na nepokretnost za pravna lica
Porez na nepokretnost tereti korištenje ili vlasništvo nekog oblika nekretnine - zemljišta odnosno građevinskog objekta. Ovu vrstu poreza treba razlikovati od ostalih poreza kojim se oporezuju nekretnine, poput poreza na promet nekretnina, ili poreza na dohodak od nekretnina.
Postupak i način oporezivanja propisuju Zakon o porezu na nepokretnost (Sl.list RCG br. 65/01, 69/03, 75/10) Zakon o poreskoj administraciji (Sl.list RCG br. 65/01, 80/04, 29/05, 20/11) kao i Uredba o bližim kriterijumima i metodologiji za određivanje tržišne vrijednosti nepokretnosti, koju je donijela Vlada Crne Gore na sjednici od 07.07.2011. godine.
Obveznik poreza na nepokretnosti je vlasnik te nepokretnosti na dan 1. januara godine za koju se utvrđuje porez. Kad je vlasnik nepokretnosti nepoznat ili nije određen, obveznik poreza je korisnik te nepokretnosti. Osnovica ove vrste poreza je tržišna vrijednost nepokretnosti koja predstavlja vrijednost te nepokretnosti na dan 1. januara godine za koju se porez utvrđuje.
Osnovica poreza na nepokretnosti u svojini pravnog lica, odnosno obveznika koji vodi poslovne knjige utvrđuje se tako što se kao tržišna vrijednost nepokretnosti uzima vrijednost nepokretnosti koja je prikazana u njegovim poslovnim knjigama, a koju vrijednost je obveznik kroz poresku prijavu dužan dostaviti nadležnom poreskom organu. Na tu vrijednost primjenjuje se odgovarajuća poreska stopa koju utvrđuje jedinica lokalne uprave, te tako dobijeni iznos predstavlja utvrđeni godišnji porez, koji se plaća u dvije jednake rate.
U slučaju da obveznik u poslovnim knjigama ne iskaže vrijednost nepokretnosti u skladu sa propisima kojima se uređuje računovodstvo i ne podnese poresku prijavu, porez na nepokretnosti obračunava se na nešto složeniji način. Naime, poreski organ najprije mora utvrditi tržišnu vrijednost nepokretnosti, što može uraditi posredstvom ovlašćenog vještaka za procjenu nepokretnosti. Osim toga, prosječna tržišna cijena m2 nepokretnosti po zonama i vrsti nepokretnosti može se utvrditi i na osnovu reprezentativnog uzorka ugovora o kupoprodaji za prethodne tri godine, koji organ uprave nadležan za poreze dostavlja opštini. Shodno tome, osnovni kriterijumi na osnovu kojih se utvrđuje vrijednost nepokretnosti su njena namjena, veličina, mjesto gdje se nalazi kao i kvalitet. Nakon što je utvrđena poreska osnovica na istu se primjenjuje propisana stopa poreza i na taj način dolazi do iznosa godišnjeg poreza.
Poreski organ ima ovlašćenje da za poreskog obveznika podnese poresku prijavu, ukoliko ista nije podnijeta u propisanom roku, kao i da dopuni nepotpunu i ispravi pogrešno popunjenu poresku prijavu.
U postupku utvrđivanja poreza nadležni poreski organ ima pravo da pozove svako lice, kada ocijeni da je njegovo prisustvo u postupku provođenja poreskih propisa potrebno, a pozvano lice je dužno da se odazove pozivu. Poreski obveznik ima pravo da angažuje kvalifikovanog punomoćnika-advokata, koji će zastupati njegove interese pred poreskim organima. O toku ispitivanja pozvanog lica, postupku inspekcijskog nadzora kao i o važnim usmenim izjavama stranke, punomoćnika, svjedoka, vještaka ili trećeg lica u postupku sačinjava se zapisnik koji predstavlja javnu ispravu.
Po okončanju cjelokupnog postupka, donosi se poresko rješenje, koje je u pisanom obliku i mora se kao takvo označiti i dostaviti poreskom obvezniku. Naravno, na dostavljeno rješenje se može izjaviti žalba.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Septembar 2012
ODGOVORNOST PRAVNIH LICA ZA KRIVIČNA DJELA
Zakon o odgovornosti pravnih lica za krivična djela stupio je na snagu 19. januara 2007. godine. Ovaj Zakon predstavlja odstupanje od dotadašnjeg pravila, da pravna lica ne mogu odgovarati za krivična djela. Prvi put u naše krivično pravo uvodi se krivična odgovornost pravnih lica. Razvoj međunarodnog prava i ratifikovane konvencije uticale su da se u naše krivično zakonodavstvo uvede odgovornost pravnih lica za krivična djela. Navedenim Zakonom se uređuju uslovi odgovornosti pravnih lica za krivična djela, krivične sankcije koje se primjenjuju prema pravnim licima, kao i krivični postupak u kome se te sankcije izriču.
Zakon navodi da osim Države Crne Gore, državnih organa i organa lokalne samouprave, krivično odgovaraju sva druga pravna lica. Pod pravnim licem podrazumjeva se privredno društvo, strano društvo i dio stranog društva, javno preduzeće, javna ustanova, domaća i strana nevladina organizacija, investicioni fond, drugi fond (osim fonda koji isključivo vrši javna ovlašćenja), sportska organizacija, politička partija, kao i drugo udruženje ili organizacija koje u okviru svog poslovanja stalno ili povremeno ostvaruje ili pribalja sredstva i njima raspolaže. Pod odgovornim licem podrazumjeva se fizičko lice kome su povjereni određeni poslovi u pravnom licu, lice koje je ovlašćeno da postupa u ime pravnog lica, kao i lice za koje se osnovano može pretpostaviti da je ovlašćeno da postupa u ime pravnog lica. Odgovorno lice je i fizičko lice koje kao akcionar djeluje u ime pravnog lica.
Pravna lica mogu odgovarati za krivična djela iz posebnog dijela Krivičnog Zakonika i za druga krivična djela propisana posebnim zakonom (sporedno krivično zakonodavstvo), ako su ispunjeni uslovi za odgovornost pravnog lica. Osnovna pretpostavka za odgovornost pravnog lica jeste da je učinjeno krivično djelo. Nije sporno da krivično djelo u objektivno-subjektivnom smislu može učiniti samo fizičko lice, da se bez granica odgovornosti fizičkog lica, ne može utvrditi odgovornost pravnog lica. Polazi se od toga da pravno lice, pod određenim uslovima, odgovara za krivično djelo svog odgovornog lica i to kada je ono djelujući u ime pravnog lica u okviru svojih ovlašćenja učinilo krivično djelo u namjeri da za to pravno lice ostvari kakvu korist. Odgovornost pravnog lica postoji i onda kada je djelovanje tog odgovornog lica bilo u suprotnosti sa poslovnom politikom ili nalozima pravnog lica. Takođe Zakon propisuje da je pravno lice odgovorno za krivično djelo i ako odgovorno lice koje je učinilo krivično djelo nije osuđeno za to krivično djelo. Odgovornost pravnog lica ne isključuje krivičnu odgovornost odgovornog lica za učinjeno krivično djelo zbog kojeg odgovara i pravno lice.Zakon propisuje dvije vrste kazni, koje se mogu izreći pravnom licu samo kao glavne kazne, i to novčana kazna i prestanak pravnog lica. Novčana kazna se utvrđuje zavisno od iznosa učinjene štete ili pribavljene protivpravne imovinske koristi, a ukoliko se iznosi različiti, kao osnov za utvrđivanje novčane kazne uzeće se viši iznos. Novčana kazna ne može biti manja od dvostrukog iznosa učinjene štete ili pribavljene protivpravne imovinske koristi, niti veća od stostrukog iznosa učinjene imovinske štete ili pribavljene protivpravne imovinske koristi. Prestanak pravnog lica kao kazna može se izreći ako je djelatnost pravnog lica u cjelini ili u znatnoj mjeri bila u funkciji vršenja krivičnog djela, a pravno lice prestaje da postoji brisanjem iz Centralnog registra Privrednog suda ili drugog registra koji vodi nadležni državni organ.
Osim kazne, Zakon propisuje i druge krivične sankcije: uslovnu osudu i mjere bezbjednosti. Sud može pravno lice kome je izrečena uslovna osuda da stavi pod zaštitni nadzor za određeno vrijeme u toku vremena provjeravanja, a ako utvrdi da je ispunjena svrha ove mjere, može zaštitni nadzor ukinuti prije isteka određenog vremena. Mjere bezbjednosti koje se mogu izreći pravnim licima su: sačinjavanje i sprovođenje programa djelotvornih, neophodnih i razumnih mjera; oduzimanje predmeta; javno objavljivanje presude; zabrana obavljanja određenih privrednih ili drugih djelatnosti-koja se ne može izreći uz uslovnu osudu.
O izrečenim sankcijama kaznenu evidenciju vodi Centralni registar Privrednog suda i podaci iz kaznene evidencije mogu se dati samo sudu, državnom tužiocu i organu uprave nadležnom za poslove policije u vezi sa krivičnim postupkom koje se vodi protiv pravnog lica, organu za izvršenje krivičnih sankcija, organu koji učestvuje u postupku davanja amnestije, pomilovanja, rehabilitacije ili odlučivanja o prestanku pravnih posljedica osude.Zakon propisuje jedinstvenost postupka - za isto krivično djelo, po pravilu, postupak protiv pravnog lica se pokreće i sprovodi zajedno sa postupkom protiv odgovornog lica. Dakle, u jedinstvenom postupku podnosi se jedinstvena optužnica protiv okrivljenog pravnog lica i okrivljenog odgovornog lica i donosi jedinstvena presuda. Novinu predstavlja institut odlaganja krivičnog gonjenja, koji podrazumjeva da pravno lice prihvati ispunjenje jedne ili više obaveza propisanih Zakonom, što upućuje na zaključak, da se smatra cjelishodnijim, korisnim i opravdanim ispunjenje nekih od propisanih obaveza u odnosu na njihovo kažnjavanje. U pogledu obavezne odbrane, odredbe Zakonika o krivičnom postupku ne primjenjuju se i na okrivljeno pravno lice. Okrivljeno pravno lice kao i odgovorno pravno lice mogu imati zajedničkog branioca, ukoliko to nije u suprotnosti sa interesima njihove odbrane.
Shodno prednjem može se zaključiti, da je obim primjene Zakona o odgovornosti pravnih lista za krivična djela veliki, da se njegova primjena ne može zamisliti, jer na to upućuju zakonske odredbe, bez primjene Krivičnog Zakonika CG i Zakonika o krivičnom postupku CG , kao i da je mnoštvo pravnih lica na koja će se primjenjivati, pa je posebno značajan kako za pravosudne organe koji će ga primjenjivati, tako i za pravna lica na koja će se primjenjivati, odnosno za njihova odgovorna lica.
Dalfina Zuric ...... duda.zuric@lawoffice-vujacic.com
June 2012
NEW BANKRUPTCY LAW OF MONTENEGRO
On May 7 and 8, 2012 representative of the Law Office Vujacic took part to the counselling and conference related to the New Bankruptcy Law of Montenegro in organization of Association of Bankruptcy trustee of Montenegro.
The main goals of the conference were the explanation of the new Bankruptcy Law, adopted in January 2011.
At the beginning it is necessary to make an introduction and to explain this term. Simply said, bankruptcy law allows a debtor, who is unable to pay his creditors, to resolve his debts through the division of his assets among his creditors. This supervised division also allows the interests of all creditors to be treated with some measure of equality. Certain bankruptcy proceedings allow a debtor to stay in business and use revenue generated to resolve his or her debts.
An additional purpose of bankruptcy law is to allow certain debtors to free themselves (to be discharged) of the financial obligations they have accumulated, after their assets are distributed, even if their debts have not been paid in full.
So, as the most important impression from this counselling could be emphasizes that the new law in Montenegro significantly shortens deadlines and enables submitting of a legally enforceable restructuration plan together with the bankruptcy petition, against which creditors claims are to be settled.
Another important novelty is the possibility for the debtor company to be sold as a single legal entity, which increases its chances of survival. Overall, market entry and exit mechanisms were further improved.
Bankruptcy law is better regulating the whole bankruptcy proceedings, in particular the role of individual participants in that proceeding. The law decreased number of the body proceeding, because the court functions processes only the judge who controls the entire process. Bankruptcy law thoroughly regulated the legal status of the bankruptcy trustee, who manages the debtor and the bankruptcy estate, which is the main point of the bankruptcy because it connects all the participants in this process.
In the same sense is better regulated participation of creditors in bankruptcy proceedings, with respect to their right to decide in which direction will lead the bankruptcy proceedings; in the direction of reorganization and rehabilitation of the debtor or in the direction of his bankruptcy and termination of existence as a business and legal entity.
Bankruptcy law has expanded the possibility of reorganization proceedings of the debtor and his acceleration too, the possibility to submit a reorganization plan in advance, actually in the same time with filing of the initial act - bankruptcy petition. This could be done by the debtor, as this party is the best involved in all problems of his business and the possibility of financial repair.
Moreover, bankruptcy law has expanded the circle of the bankruptcy reasons. In addition to permanent disability for payments and related insolvency, new reasons are insolvency and debtor failure to act according to the adopted plan of reorganization, as well as in the case that the plan is proceed on fraudulently or illegally manner.
The new law came into force in January last year. Although this law is much more suitable for practical use than the previous Law on Insolvency of Companies, for short period of application of the new law could not be crystallized eventual legal uncertainties which may appear in its implementation. But, the experience that we gain in the bankruptcy proceedings and the court practise that will form in future, will give us the answers to all legal dilemmas and doubts that could arise in interpreting and applying of the new law.
Radmila Radoicic ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
May 2012
PROTECTION OF RIGHTS IN THE PUBLIC PROCURMENT PROCEDURE
The law on Public procurement (Official Gazette no. 42/11 dated on 15.8.2011 ) governs the conditions, manner and procedure of procurement of goods and services and public procurement, as well as Protection Of Rights In The Public Procurment Procedure and other issues of relevance for public procurement.
The State Commission for control of Public Procurement procedures (hereinafter State Commission) is autonomous and independent state body which provides legal protection of bidders and the public interest in all phases of the public procurement procedures.
Previous law was proscribing that bidder could file an objection to the contracting authority on every single phase of public procurement procedures. If he omits to object timely, he could not appeal any more for cause made in that phase. Only after decision of contracting authority upon objection it was allowed to appeal to State commission, as second instance. Since objection had a suspension effect, it led to prolongation of procedures, which was contrary to principles of efficiency and urgency proclaimed by that same Law.
Within the applicable Law, procedure for the protection of rights is abbreviated and simplified. It is initialized by lodging an appeal to the State Commission, which appeal may be lodged due to reasons enumerated by Law. Copy of the appeal should be submitted to the contracting authority as well, who will notify all participants in the public procurement procedure about the appeal. Active legitimation in this procedure is on the bidders and other interested persons. Timely and properly appeal has suspense effect, which means that contracting authority will suspend all activities until a final decision of State Commission. In case that the appeal contains a formal deficiency that prevents acting upon the appeal, or if it is incomprehensible or incomplete, the State Commission will request from the appellant to remove those deficiencies. An appeal should be submitted directly or by registered letter mail, as well as in electronic form. If a contracting authority establishes that the appeal is partly or in whole justified, it may annul the decision or substitute it with another decision. Also, it may correct the performed actions in accordance with the request contained in the appeal or annul the public procurement procedure and inform all the participants of the procedure thereof. The State Commission must adopt a decision in respect of submitted appeal within 15 days from the day of receipt of the files and complete documentation on the public procurement procedure. The time limit may be extended for no more than 10 days in case with comprehensive documentation or when some additional actions that needs to be undertaken. The State Commission decides by conclusion or decision. The decision shall be delivered to the appellant and contracting authority and published on internet page of State Commission. As final, it is not possible to appeal against decision of Commission, but it is allowed to start an administrative procedure before Administrative court. The judicial protection procedure is of an urgent nature.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
April 2012
MERGER OF COMPANIES IN MONTENEGRO
In today's global business environment of Montenegro companies may have to grow to survive and one of the good way to grow is by merging with another company. Many companies strive to advance themselves in the marketplace in combination with achievement of their overall objectives.
In Montenegro restructuring of a Companies by merger may only take place when the assets of the Company exceed its debts. This procedure can be done when one or more companies join the existing company by transferring the entire assets and liabilities to that Company. The surviving company, or the newly founded company, shall be known as the recipient company, whereas the company transferring assets and liabilities shall be known as merged company.
Board of Directors of the company involved in merger shall prepare a written report giving a detailed legal and economic justification of reasons and consequences of the merger and also board of Directors of Companies involved in merger shall be obliged to harmonize a draft contract of merger. That harmonized draft contract of merger in the name of every company being merged shall be signed by a member of the Board of Directors determined by every company included in merger. Moreover, the Board of Directors of every company involved in merger shall determine one or more independent experts to examine the draft contract of merger.
In his reports, independent expert shall be obliged to, including but not limited to give an opinion on terms and proposal of merger, used methods, determined share exchange ratio, including amount of cash payment, as well as to state difficulties, if any, during the assessment of the company's assets. This person can be an auditor, court expert with economic background, or another appraiser selected by the Board of Directors, as well as an audit firm. But, cannot be a current or former authorized person or person employed in the company being merged, person who is a business partner of the company being merged, or spouse or first degree relative of a member of the Board of Directors or of employee in the company being merged.
Companies involved in merger shall be obliged to provide, at the request of independent expert, all data and documents necessary for developing a report. Members of the Board of Directors of the company being merged, as well as independent expert examining a draft contract of merger shall be liable for damage they cause to shareholders of the company in the procedure of merger, if they did not act conscientiously and with due care. This act shall be submitted to the Central Registry in order to be published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro. The company shall publish the notice of merger at least in two daily printed media published in Montenegro at least 30 days prior to holding the general meeting of shareholders where the draft contract of merger shall be considered. Also, every company involved in merger shall inform thereon in writing all creditors at least 30 days prior to holding the general meeting of shareholders when draft contract of merger shall be considered.
SIMPLIFIED MERGER
Also, the Law stipulates a simplified merger procedure in the case when the recipient company holding at least 90% of shares of a transferring company, if the following conditions are fulfilled:
- the draft contract of merger is published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro, and the notice of merger is published at least in two daily printed media issued in Montenegro no later than 30 days before the finally decision is made,
- shareholders of the recipient company are provided with the access in the registered office of the recipient company, with the draft contract of merger, annual financial statements for the last three years and special financial statement at least 30 days before the finally decision is made.
Finally, is remained only to emphasize great advantages of this procedure which have proved in practice of many companies that already have passed this procedure. Their business decision and intention for the merger could be correlated with the economic crisis that affected a large number of companies today and the whole current business environment in Montenegro.
Radmila Radoicic ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
March 2012
TEMPORARY MEASURES BEFORE INITIATION OF THE MAIN COURT PROCESS, THAT PROCEED ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF EXECUTION AND SECURITY
Temporary measure is legal instrument by which the creditor secures its claim before the court.
It is important to stress that legal effect and aim of temporary measure is the security, but not the obligation fulfilling.
The creditor who has a legal interest may apply for a temporary measure before litigation, in order to preventing the possible negative consequences that can cause by the time of litigation, in which case will be applicable the Law on Execution and Security.
The Court is authorized to bring decision of the temporary measure under summary process at all stages and out of hearing according to the law, that requires strict enforcement of the law in relation of the lawfulness and effect of temporary measures establishing a temporary de facto situation of limited duration.
Also the court is obliged to determine the legal interest of the creditor to conduct such proceedings, and the court will bring decision of temporary measure if the proposer of securing made seem likely existence of a claim and of the danger that settlement of claim might be thwarted or made significantly more difficult, taking into consideration all circumstances and principle of prevention of right abuse.
We point our that the Law of Execution and Security prescribes that according to the motion of the creditor, the court may determine a temporary measure even when the creditor did not make it seem likely that the claim and danger exist, if beforehand he deposits within the time notice left to the creditor, the amount determined by the court as a warranty for damages that could have been caused to the debtor by determining and enforcing of a temporary measure.
Namely above mentioned refers to the case if the creditor fails to enclose the court evidences needed for determination of temporary measure, in which case the court will appreciate the "weight" of the proposed measure, its effect and possible adverse effects of the debtor, whether the harmful effects can successfully remove by deposited compensation, and the court will decide on the merits of the proposal and the amount of deposit.
Court sets deadline for deposit to the creditor, and the court should not to bring decision of temporary measure before paying of deposit, though in practice the situation is quite different, because the court by the decision of temporary measure orders to the creditor paying of deposit, practically before fulfilling of law conditions for the temporary measure, which can simply lead to abuse of rights.
Decision of temporary measure shall have the effect of a decision on execution in cases prescribed by the Law, that is to say:
1. when in purpose of securing monetary claim the court bring one of the following temporary measures: ban on debtor to dispose of movables, as well as safekeeping of those objects; ban of alienation and burdening of shares or a share in an economic entity, with registration of the ban into the competent register; ban to the debtor to alienate or burden his/her real property or real rights to that real property that have been registered into the public book for his benefit, along with registration of that ban into the public book; an order to the bank to deny to the debtor or to a third person payment of the monetary amount for which transitional measure has been determined, upon the order of debtor.
2. when in purpose of non-monetary claim the court bring one of the following temporary measures: ban of alienation and burden on movables to which the claim refers, as well as safekeeping of such objects; ban of alienation and burden on shares or share in an economic entity to which the claim refers, along with registration of the ban into the adequate register; ban of alienation and burden on real property to which the claim refers, along with registration of the claim into the public book.
In above listed cases, by making a decision of temporary measure the execution shall be considered as permitted, and there is no need start with a separate enforcement.
The decision by which a temporary measure is determined, shall determine also the duration of that measure, and if the measure is determined before the lawsuit was filed or another proceeding initiated and within time notice in which the proposer of securing must file the lawsuit.
We point out that if creditor did not file a complaint within determined time notice, i.e. did not initiate another proceeding with view of justifying the temporary measure or if during the time for which the transitional measure was determined expired, the court shall, upon the proposal of debtor of securing, suspend the proceedings or abolish the undertaken actions.
Jelena Vujisic ... jelena.vujisic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Mart 2012
PRIVREMENE MJERE KOJE PRETHODE POKRETANJU POSTUPKA I SPROVODE SE PO PRAVILIMA ZAKONA O IZVRŠENJU I OBEZBJEDJENJU
Privremena mera predstavlja pravno sredstvo kojim povjerilac osigurava ostvarenje svog zahteva posredstvom suda.
Važno je naglasiti da pravno dejstvo i cilj privremene mere jeste obezbjedjenje a ne ispunjenje obaveze.
Lice koje ima pravni interes može podnijeti zahtjev za odredjivanje privremene mjere prije pokretanja parnice, na koji nacin se predupredjuju moguce negativne posledice po povjerioca koje može prouzrokovati vremenski period trajanja parnice, u kom slučaju e se primjenjivati Zakon o izvršenju i obezbjedjenju.
Sud je ovlašćen da donese odluku o privremenoj mjeri na osnovu sumarnog postupka u svim fazama i van rasprave u skladu sa zakonom, što podrazumjeva striktnu primjenu zakona u odnosu na dozvoljenost i dejstvo privremene mere kojom se uspostavlja privremeno faktičko stanje ograničenog vremenskog trajanja.
Prilikom donošenja odluke o privremenoj mjeri sud je dužan da utvrdi pravni interes predlaga a za vodjenje tog postupka, te ukoliko stekne uvjerenje o postojanju potraživanja i opasnosti da će se ostvarivanje potraživanja osujetiti ili znatno otežati, sud moze donijeti privremenu mjeru pažljivo ispitujući sve okolnosti i vodeći računa o načelu sprečavanja zloupotrebe prava. Medjutim, Zakonom o izvršenju i obezbjedjenju data je mogucnost da sud na predlog predlagača obezbjeđenja, odredi privremenu mjeru i kad isti nije učinio vjerovatnim postojanje potraživanja i opasnost, ako prethodno položi, u ostavljenom mu roku, iznos koji sud odredi kao jemstvo za štetu koja bi protivniku obezbjeđenja mogla biti nanesena određivanjem i sprovođenjem privremene mjere.
Naime, prednje se podrazumjeva u slu aju da predlaga obezbjedjenja ne priloži sudu potrebne dokaze za odredjivanje privremene mjere, dok e sud u tom slu aju cijeniti “težinu” predložene mjere, njeno dejstvo i mogu e negativne efekte prema protivniku obezbjedjenja, da li se štetne posledice mogu uspješno otkloniti nov anom nadoknadom, te odlu uje o osnovanosti predloga i visini jemstva. Sud odredjuje predlaga u rok u kome je isti dužan da položi utvrdjeni iznos jemstva i isti ne bi trebalo da donosi odluku o odredjivanju privremene mjere prije polaganja jemstva, medjutim u praksi je potpuno druga ija situacija, jer sud upravo rješenjem o odredjivanju privremene mjere nalaže predlaga u da položi jemstvo u odredjenom roku, odredjivaju i privremenu mjeru prakti no prije ispunjenosti zakonskih uslova za istu, sto jednostavno može dovesti do zloupotreba prava.
Rješenje o odredjivanju privremene mjere ima snagu rješenja o izvršenju u slučajevima propisanim zakonom, i to :
1. kada se radi obezbjedjenja nov anog potraživanja odredi jedna od slede ih privremenih mjera: zabrana protivniku obezbjeđenja da raspolaže pokretnim stvarima, kao i čuvanje tih stvari; zabrana otudjenja i opterećenja akcija ili udjela u privrednom društvu, uz upis zabrane u odgovarajuću evidenciju; zabrana protivniku obezbjedjenja da otudji ili optereti svoje nepokretnosti ili stvarna prava koja su na nepokretnosti upisana u katastar nepokretnosti u njegovu korist, uz upis te zabrane u katastar nepokretnosti; nalog banci da protivniku obezbjedjenja ili trećem licu, po nalogu protivnika obezbjedjenja, uskrati sa računa protivnika obezbjedjenja isplatu novčanog iznosa za koji je odredjena privremena mjera;
2. kada se radi obezbjedjenja nenovčanog potraživanja odredi jedna od sledecih privremenih mjera: zabrana otudjenja i opterećenja pokretnih stvari na koje je upravljeno potraživanje, kao i čuvanje tih stvari; zabrana otudjenja i opterećenja akcija ili udjela u privrednom društvu na koje je upravljeno potraživanje, uz upis zabrane u javne evidencije; zabrana otudjenja i opterećenja nepokretnosti na koju je upravljeno potraživanje, uz upis zabrane u katastar nepokretnosti.
Naime, u naprijed navedenim slu ajevima, donošenjem odluke o odredjivanju privremene mjere, smatra se da je izvršenje dozvoljeno, i nije potrebno posebno zahtjevati izvršenje.
U rješenju kojim se odredjuje privremena mjera odrediće se vrijeme trajanja te mjere, a ako je mjera odredjena prije podnošenja tužbe ili pokretanja drugog postupka, odrediće se i rok u kojem predlagač obezbjedjenja mora podnijeti tužbu, odnosno predlog za pokretanje drugog postupka radi opravdanja privremene mjere.
Važno je napomenuti da e sud na predlog dužnika, obustaviti postupak i ukinuti sporovedene radnje ukoliko povjerilac nije podnio tužbu radi opravdanja privremene mjere ili ukoliko je vrijeme na koje je odredjena privremena mjera isteklo.
Jelena Vujisic ... jelena.vujisic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Ferbruar 2012
Kompenzacija – nužno ili praktično sredstvo?
Naplate potraživanja i rastuća nelikvidnost postaju sve prisutniji problem. Kako bi obezbijedili sredstva za redovno poslovanje, sve više privrednih subjekata pribjegava alternativnim načinima naplate dugova, među kojima je najzastupljenija kompenzacija.
Kompenzacija zamjenjuje dvije isplate, jer obje strane dobijaju ono što potražuju jedna od druge, a da pri tom ne ulažu napore i ne preduzimaju ni jednu od realnih radnji koje podrazumijeva efektivna isplata. Osim toga, prebijanjem se izbjegava rizik da jedna strana ispuni svoju obavezu a da zatim ne bude u mogućnosti da od druge strane naplati svoje potraživanje, i to najčešće zbog insolventnosti druge strane koja u međuvremenu nastupi ili pak usled zastarjelosti potraživanja.
Da bi se ostvarila kompenzacija neophodno je da potrazivanja budu uzajamna, da su istorodna, dospjela i utuživa. Prebijanje se ne moze izvršiti ukoliko su zainteresovane strane, imajući u vidu princip slobode ugovaranja, tu mogućnost svojom voljom isključile, kao ni u slučajevima koji su Zakonom izričito utvrđeni.
Do gašenja obaveza prebijanjem može doći voljom zainteresovanih strana, po sili zakona, i odlukom suda.
Ugovorna kompenzacija
Obzirom da su ugovorne strane slobodne u zaključivanju i uređivanju svojih međusobnih odnosa, to se dakle mogu sporazumjeti i o gašenju, tj. prebijanju svojih međusobnih potraživanja. Nastaje dobrovoljno pa u pogledu nje nema ograničenja koji se tiču uslova istorodnosti I dospjelosti koja postoje kod drugih oblika kompenzacije. Tako se može ugovoriti i robna kompenzacija, gdje povjerilac svoje potraživanje naplaćuje u robi, odnosno uzimanjem određene stvari. Mnoga privredna društva na taj način dugoročno sarađuju, međutim sve su češće kompenzacije koje uključuju robu problematičnog plasmana. Dužnik da ima mogućnosti i sam bi je prodao i tako isplatio dug, pa se javlja dilema da li je bolje uzeti takvu robu ili čekati u nedogled na isplatu I strahovati od bankrota dužnika. Obzirom da se za kompenzacije najčešće odlučuju građevinske firme koje po prirodi stvari imaju velik broj dobavljača i potraživanja, posebno je zanimljiva situacija kada investitor za izvođenje radova građevinskoj firmi obaveze plaća kompenzacijom (kvadratima stambeno poslovnog prostora). U tom slučaju postavlja se pitanje kakve su poreske obaveze pri takvom transferu, odnosno ko je poreski obveznik? Da li se plaća PDV (17 %) ili porez na promet nepokretnosti (3%)? Dodatno, ako se radi o inostranoj firmi, prema kojoj državi nastaje obaveza plaćanja poreza, te da li će doći do dvostrukog oporezivanja? Ne manje važna stvar je kako knjigovodstveno sprovesti takvu kompenzaciju, a stvar se može dodatno zakomplikovati ukoliko Notar ne prihvati zaključivanje i ovjeru takvog ugovora, imajući u vidu dokaz o izvršenom plaćanju.
Iako je kompenzacija dostupna i zakonom dozvoljena svim fizičkim i pravnim subjektima, primjetno je da javni sektor nema značajniji broj plaćanja izvršenih na ovaj način. Objašnjenje se može tražiti u tome što društva iza kojih stoji država kao vlasnik uglavnom imaju monopolistički položaj na tržištu. Osim toga, država za svoje redovno funkcionisanje treba gotov novac pa radije koristi mehanizme prinudne naplate svojih potraživanja.
Zakonska kompenzacija
U situaciji opšta nelikvidnosti privrede, država može posebnim zakonom propisati obavezu kompenzacije za sve privredne subjekte, koja ima ograničeno vrijeme primjene i koja je po svojoj prirodi multilaterarna. Karakteristično je da se ona sprovodi ispunjenjem uslova, po automatizmu, čak i protivno volji stranaka. Ovaj vid kompenzacije ima svoje brojne nedostatke, pa je rijetka njena primjena.
Zakon o obligacionim odnosima pod zakonskom kompenzacijom podrazumijeva mogućnost dužnika da prebije potraživanje koje ima prema povjeriocu sa onim što ovaj potražuje od njega, ako su oba potraživanja dospjela i ako glase na novac ili druge zamjenljive stvari istog roda i kakvoće. Osim ispunjenja navedenih uslova tek davanjem izjave jedne strane drugoj da vrši prebijanje, smatraće se da je prebijanje nastalo i to od momenta kada su se ispunili uslovi za to.
Sudska kompenzacija
Do ove vrste kompenzacije dolazi na osnovu odlike suda, na osnovu kopenzacionog prigovora ili na osnovu kompezacione protivtužbe uloženih od strane tuženog. Nakon utvrđenja osnovanosti prigovora odnosno protivtužbe, sud donosi odluku kojom vrši prebijanje, s tim da ako se pokaže da prebijanjem nije u cjelosti prestalo da postoji potraživanje istaknuto bilo u tužbi bilo u protivtužbi, ostatak će presudom dosuditi stranci čije je potraživanje veće. Kompenzacija dovodi do gašenja, odnosno prestanka međusobnih obaveza. Ukoliko se radi o jednakim potraživanjima, što je vrlo rijedak slučaj, oba će prestati da postoje, dok se u slučaju nejednakih obaveza manja gasi u cjelosti a veća do visine manje. Potraživanja se smatraju naplaćenim i dio su ostvareniog prihoda pravnog subjekta. Obzirom da kompenzacije nisu dugoročno održivo rješenje, vjerovatno će vremenom gubiti na značaju, a do tad pravni subjekti i nemaju baš puno izbora u vezi njene primjene u svakodnevnom poslovanju.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
January 2012
MOST IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS TO THE LABOUR LAW IN MONTENEGRO
At the end of 2011 labor legislation in Montenegro was changed with amendments to the Labor Law of Montenegro from 2008. As per information and data received from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare in Montenegro, implementation of the changes in the law was a need for further adjustment of the existing provisions with certain ILO Conventions, amended European Social Charter and with a number of EU Directives.
The most important novelties in the Labor Law are:
- The new provisions addresses the problem of bullying ('mobbing') of employees during the work;
- Provisions related to the length of work contract for definite time are specified, however, the work is limited to two years with a possibility of a longer period of limited time employment in case of substitute for an absent employee or during the work on a specific project;
- Although at one time was off, with this Law in the practice was returned institution of taking over of the employees;
- Duration of annual leave is increased;
- A rule is introduced that employment is based on permanent basis;
- Provisions on protection of the employees who report the existence of corruption are introduced;
- The institute of parental leave is introduced and provisions on maternity leave are more specified in terms of equalization of rights to parental or maternity leave for both parents;
- Provisions on wages and minimum wage are specified;
- Provisions on cancellation of work contract and termination of employment according to the force of law are improved and simplified;
- A new institute is introduced – assignment of employees by the Agency of temporary work;
- Provisions on additional work are improved and made more flexible;
- Provisions on collective agreements are revised and made clearer for its application in practice;
- Contract on performance is abolished and legal and technical improvements of certain provisions are performed in order for them to be more applicable in practice;
- New institute and manner for termination of the labor relations, proposing to simplify procedures in dismissals of employees. So the employer may terminate the contract if there are reasonable grounds related to the non-fulfillment of performance, for a period not less than 30 days; disregard of obligations provided by the law, collective agreement or employment contract, which must comply with the law and collective agreement, or if his behavior is such that it cannot continue work with the employer, if he refuses to sign an annex to the offered contract, as well as economic, and technological or restructuring changes as a result of which is no longer needed for its operations.
It is important to point that not all of the latest changes received the same degree of approval, and some of them even met with strong criticism. Whether these changes provide the better protection of employers or employees, faster development of the market economy and adjustment with the directives of the European Union, remains to be seen in future period and practise.
Radmila Radoicic, Attorney at Law ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Decembar 2011
DOBROVOLJNA LIKVIDACIJA PRIVREDNOG DRUŠTVA
U vremenu kada se govori o ekonomskoj krizi, lošem poslovanju privrednih društava, gubicima i stečaju, nezaobilazan je i pojam likvidacije društava. U vezi sa tim, Zakon o privrednim društvima (Sl. list RCG, br. 006/02-1. i Sl. list CG, br. 017/07-1. 080/08-20. 040/10-5. 073/10-11. 036/11-78. 040/11-12) omogućava gašenje, odnosno prestanak postojanja društva i kroz postupak dobrovoljne likvidacije. Riječ je o postupku u kojem se preduzima niz mjera koje dovode do prestanka privrednog društva koje ima dovoljno finansijskih sredstava da pokrije svoje obaveze. Dakle, uslovi za sprovodjenje postupka likvidacije su ispunjeni samo onda ako je privredno društvo finansijski sposobno za isplatu svih dugovanih potraživanja. Ukoliko se iz imovine društva čija se likvidacija predlaže ne mogu u cjelini izmiriti svi povjerioci koji su prijavili svoja potraživanja, tada su ispunjeni uslovi za otvaranje postupka stečaja, koji se sprovodi na osnovu Zakona o stečaju.
Dakle, osnovna razlika između stečaja i dobrovoljne likvidacije:
STEČAJ:
1. vrsta postupka: posebna vrsta vanparničnog sudskog postupka
2. svrha: skupno namirenje povjerilaca iz imovine društva
3. razlozi za pokretanje: insolventnost, prezaduženost i prijeteća nesposobnost za plaćanje
4. moguć je nastavak poslovanja poslije provedenog postupka.
LIKVIDACIJA:
1. vrsta postupka: nije sudski postupak nego postupak koji sprovodi privredno društvo
2. svrha: namirenje obaveza i podjela preostale imovine društva među članovima
3. razlozi za pokretanje: ako članovi društva odluče da društvo prestane da postoji na takav način
4. nemoguć je nastavak poslovanja poslije sprovedenog postupka.
Postupak dobrovoljne likvidacije moguće je sprovesti na dva načina. Jedan je “redovni”, gdje je potrebno preduzeti niz zakonom predviđenih radnji što čini da postupak traje duže u odnosu na drugi - skraćeni postupak, gdje je procedura jednostavnija i brža, ali sa druge strane i odgovornost osnivača nakon brisanja društva iz Registra je drugačije uređena.
Likvidacioni postupak se sprovodi na osnovu odluke privrednog društva, koju u zavisnosti od vrste privrednog društva donose osnivači, odnosno skupština akcionarskog društva. Odluka o likvidaciji se dostavlja Centralnom registru Privrednog suda (CRPS), kao i ”Službenom listu CG”, radi objavljivanja. Društvo u pisanoj formi poziva sve poznate povjerioce da prijave svoja potraživanja, uz obavezno navođenje roka u kome se prijavljuju potraživanja povjerilaca. Ukoliko likvidator ospori prijavljeno potraživanje, povjerilac je dužan da nakon prijema obavještenja likvidatora da osporava potraživanje, pokrene postupak pred nadležnim sudom. U tom slučaju postupak likvidacije neće se okončati do okončanja spora pred sudom, osim ako se da odgovarajuće obezbjeđenje tog potraživanja.
Postupak likvidacije sprovodi likvidator. Za likvidatora može biti imenovano lice odnosno lica koja su upravljala poslovanjem društva i prije likvidacije (izvršni direktor) ili lice odnosno lica koje imenuje društvo, tj. skupština privrednog društva. Likvidator zastupa privredno društvo u likvidaciji i odgovoran je za vođenje poslova društva, ali ne odgovara za dugove društva. Sadržina i obim njegovih ovlašćenja se ne može izmijeniti jer su ista uređena imperativnim normama. U tom smislu, on završava tekuće poslovanje društva, naplaćuje potraživanja, izmiruje obaveze, prodaje imovinu društva. Likvidator odgovara članovima, akcionarima i povjeriocima privrednog društva za štetu koju im prouzrokuje u izvršenju svojih dužnosti. Međutim, on ne odgovara ako je šteta nastala kao rezultat donošenja savjesnih i razumnih poslovnih odluka, u vezi sa sprovođenjem postupka likvidacije. Ako je više likvidatora, njihova odgovornost za istu štetu je solidarna.
Privredno društvo u likvidaciji ne može preduzimati nove poslove, već samo poslove vezane za sprovodenje likvidacionog postupka kao što su prodaja imovine, plaćanje povjerilaca, naplata potraživanja i druge poslove nužne za likvidaciju društva, a raspolaganje imovinom ili zaduživanje privrednog društva bez odobrenja likvidatora ne proizvodi pravno dejstvo. Otvaranjem postupka likvidacije po sili zakona nastupa prekid parničnog postupka u svim parnicama gdje se kao stranka pojavljuje privredno društvo nad kojim je otvoren likvidacioni postupak.
Nakon što likvidator u potpunosti ili u značajnoj mjeri namiri potraživanja povjerilaca, priprema konačni izvještaj koji zatim skupština akcionara, odnosno osnivači društva usvajaju. Obavještenje o brisanju objavljuje se u “Službenom listu CG”. Za eventualne neizmirene obaveze društva u likvidaciji članovi akcionarskog, odnosno društva sa ograničenom odgovornošću, odgovaraće solidarno, do visine primljenog iznosa iz likvidacione mase.
Skraćeni postupak likvidacije
Dobrovoljna likvidacija može se sprovesti i po skraćenom postupku. Ovakav način likvidacije moguć je samo ako osnivači, odnosno svi akcionari nakon donošenja odluke o dobrovoljnoj likvidaciji daju na sudu ovjerene izjave da su izmirene sve obaveze društva prema povjeriocima i za obaveze društva odgovaraju neograničeno solidarno tri godine nakon brisanja društva iz CRPS. Povjerioci i druga lica koja za to imaju pravni interes imaju pravo pokretanje spora pred sudom za poništaj odluke o prestanku društva po skraćenom postupku. Ukoliko sud poništi ovu odluku, imenovaće likvidatora koji će sprovesti postupak dobrovoljne likvidacije po opštim pravilima.
Dakle, zbog jednostavnosti navedenog postupka i posljedica koje mogu imati eventualni povjerioci privrednog društva likvidiranog po skraćenom postupku, zakonodavac kao imperativ za sporovođenje takve vrste likvidacije predviđa garanciju eventualnih povjerilaca u vidu neograničene solidarnu odgovornosti fizičkih lica.
Po okončanju likvidacije privredno društvo prestaje da postoji i briše iz CRPS uz upisivanje ličnih imena, odnosno naziva akcionara i naznačenjem njihove neograničene solidarne odgovornosti u trajanju od tri godine od brisanja društva iz CRPS-a.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
November 2011
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION - SUPERVISION
The right to protection of personal data is an important part of the right to privacy, which is one of the fundamental human rights. Development of science and technology, particularly the development of modern communications, together with implementation of new information systems and the creation of databases in all areas, with no doubt beneficial effects, create the conditions for new forms of violation of rights of privacy and misuse of personal data.
The real legislative framework for the protection of personal data existed since the Assembly of Montenegro on December 22nd 2008, adopted Law on Personal Data Protection (“Official Journal of Montenegro”, no 79/08). For performing duties of the supervisory, the Agency for Personal Data Protection was established by this law.
In performing activities from its competence the Agency is independent and autonomous. Supervision is conducted over the authorized persons (hereinafter –Inspectors).
Apart from ex officio inspections, the supervision could be conducted according to request for protection of the rights. So, anyone who believes that his rights in regard of collecting personal data are violated may submit a request for protection of rights to the supervisory body. The inspector is obliged to conduct the procedure according the Law.
It is important to stress that the Inspector has a right to control the personal data contained in personal databases, irrespective of the fact whether the records on such databases are kept in hard copy or in electronic form. Also, inspector has a right of access to the personal data irrespective of the degree of the data secrecy. Personal database controller, user or the data processor are obliged to enable such access to databases.
However, the Agency is authorized to bring a decision by which: it shell order elimination of the irregularities of personal data procession within certain term; or it shell temporary forbid personal data procession which is carried out opposite to this law; or it shell order deleting of personal data collected without legal ground etc.
Depending of the Agency decision, the Inspector could take further actions according the Law, as it is checking execution of decision etc. In any case, violation of Law or misuse of personal data must be removed.
According to the inspection plan, the Agency has performed many inspections in supervising process over entities within the public sector of the State, local governments, companies and businesses in the Montenegro. Activities of the Agency, except supervisory, have preventive or educational character, which implies a sort of familiarization with the obligations and responsibilities arising from the Law on Protection Personal Data.
After all, implementation of Law on Personal Data Protection is very important from the point of continuing European integration, respect for democratic standards and human rights and the creation of an open and transparent society. In regard of the importance of data protection is the fact that the Council of Europe proclaimed January 28th as Data Protection Day.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
October 2011
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION
Today in postindustrial society with the fantastic development of information technology and era of social networking sites, personal data are accessible than ever. It is very easy to get to the personal data of our friends, neighbors, relatives, their friends, even of people whose we do not know or we barely know.
For example:
- Have you ever happened that during entering to the particular state body you been caused by retention of personal documents?
- Have you ever had to copy personal documents and to leave the one in evidence of these institutions during the some administrative proceedings before state authority?
- Have you ever had to give your personal information regarding your marital status, residence or your contact information during the filling of the promotional materials and surveys of different trade and catering companies, and that you were not informed that such data you are not required to give?
- Do you ever have to leave a copy of identification documents to the bank during the loan procedure or providing guarantees for someone, or that consequently one day you find out that you have a loan that you have never concluded and that suddenly you owe to the bank a big amount of money?
- If you ever ask these bodies and institutions for which purpose they photocopied your identification card, if these copies were destroyed afterwards or still somewhere data are stored and why?
If your answer to any of these questions is affirmative, please note that your right to protection of personal data was violated!!!
Protection of personal data is one of the challenges, on which Montenegro must address on, i.e. its harmonization of regulations concerning with the relevant EU regulation. Personal data protection is one of the basic and fundamental human right to privacy, guaranteed by the international and constitution of Montenegro. To achieve this, the Government of Montenegro has adopted the Law on Personal Data Protection (Official Gazette No. 79/08 and 70/09), as well as the Personal Data Protection Strategy and the corresponding Action Plan. The important condition for implementation of the Law on Protection of Personal Data will be the formation of an independent authority for personal data protection. The full independence of this authority must be ensured, because it must have the power to supervise everyone, including the state institutions, police, judiciary, primarily health care institutions, etc. This independent authority also must have the power to implement such supervision and some people should be hired to work in the Independent Supervisory institution.
While this sounds encouraging, it is necessary to mention that the records of the number of databases of personal data in Montenegro still does not exist. The Agency for Personal Data Protection still does not have a collection of databases...
Although, in these days we see the big numbers violations of the Protection of Personal Data Law by individuals who ignore the Law or by the government bodies and political parties who taking advantage of easy accessibility of these data, abusing the ones for different purposes that they want to achieve.
So far, it is not submitted a request for initiating criminal proceedings or criminal charges for violation of these regulations. Even the law is strict and precise, covering everything from the seemingly banal situations until serious violations, the citizens as well as those in whose possession the base are, ignore the Law on Personal Data Protection.
There are many ways to misuse someone's personal information, especially when it comes to information on marital status, someone's bank account, password on bank accounts and credit cards, diseases, sexual orientation, for which a person can become a victim of blackmail or just that this data can be abused by any officer from state bodies, medical sister or the person who has a video surveillance footage. As during all of these, our private life slowly is becoming the public live, the protection of personal data and using of the law is very important today. So, we hope that the development of our country will contribute the higher level of personal data protection as well as raising public awareness about their rights regarding the protection.
Radmila Radoicic, Attorney at Law ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
September 2011
AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW ON STATE SURVEYING AND CADASTRE OF IMMOVABLE PROPERTY
The Law on state surveying and cadastre of immovable property (“Official Gazette of Republic of Montenegro”, no. 29/07, and “Official Gazette of Montenegro”, no.32/11) has been amended in July 2011, as one of the number of laws that have been recently amended or adopted by competent Montenegrin authorities.
This Law regulates the state survey, cadastre and registration of rights, land lines, the main state map and topographic map, survey of the state border, the National Infrastructure Geospatial data, geodetic works in engineering and technical fields and other issues of importance to the state surveying and cadastre.
The changes that might be of interest to the general public concerning changes primarily related to the registration of rights and procedures in the cadastre records. Speaking from that point of view, It is necessary to note that two new basic principles were introduced into the text of the Law, as follows: principle of compulsory and the principle of concreteness. Therefore, beside of this two newly introduced principles other basic principles on which basis this law relies, are: principle of registration; principle of transparency; principle of reliability; principle of legality; principle of priority; as well as principle of the procedure formality.
Principle of compulsory could be defined in such a way that holder of immovable property rights shall apply for registration of property rights and other rights to real estate enrolling in the real estate. While, the principle of concreteness has meaning that the content of each entry in the real estate must be fully specified in terms of real estate on which the registration relates, the type of registration, rights and other evidence to be entered, as well as in the terms of the title holder, the order of priority registration and the documents on which the entry is made.
The principle of compulsory is important due to the fact that is evident the law tendency to regulate submission of the application for immovable property rights registration as obligation of holder of rights.
Therefore, It is important to emphasize that the application for registration of title to real property, the person is required to submit within one year from the date of acquisition of immovable property, meaning from the contract or occurrence of the other legal basis for the acquisition of the property rights.
Moreover, the Law provides even the penalties/fines If the application for registration of title to real property is not submitted in the course of the required period/date, and amounts of money that has to be paid as penalty for this failure are vary depending whether is legal entity or physical person is title holder.
Beside of the previously mentioned It is also considerably to note the changes concerning deadlines/periods of time in which authority competent for immovable property has to decide, and those deadlines/periods of time are shorter than before.
Therefore, on the requests for the real estate entry/registration shall be decided on an expedited basis, in the following cases: On the basis of legally binding and enforceable decision of the court; by law; based on registration notes in the cadastre of real estate. The administration authority shall at the request referred to three previously mentioned circumstances decide no later than 8 days from the day of the receipt of request.
Additionally, It is stated that application for registration of rights and facts in the real estate shall be adopted by decision allowing registration, if:
- according to the cadastre evidences there are no obstacles for registration;
- the request complies with the contents of the submitted documents;
- Document with its type, form, and content meets the requirements for registration of rights.
The administrative authority is obliged to the previous request to decide within 15 days of the receipt of request.
Beside of the mentioned changes, of the importance could be also to note new amendments related to the part concerning Recordation (Registration notes).
Recordation (Registration note) shall mean entry (registration) of certain legal facts that can produce legal effects under the conditions prescribed by law. If Law, in case of certain types of recordation (registration note), does not regulate its legal affects, the Recordation (Registration note) shall have the legal effect of public notice, which is registered.
It is interesting to mention that pursuant to the new law amendments the number of defined and described recordation/registration notes is increased.
Therefore, by the Law it is regulated that Recordation (Registration note) shall be used to record facts relating to the owner of immovable property (the underage, guardianship, depriving of the business capacity) or to the immovable property itself ( initiating a lawsuit for determining rights on immovable properties, or for deletion of registration; initiation of expropriation procedure; existence of the prohibition to divest of and encumber immovable property; initiation of enforcement procedure on immovable property in cases prescribed by law regulating enforcement procedure; fiduciary transfer of ownership right; order of priority for a future registration; registration of immediate enforceability notary; recordation of bankruptcy and opening of bankruptcy procedure; recordation of joint ownership on inherited property; recordation of public good, recordation of restitution; recordation of appointment and revocation of the manager of the residential building; recordation of the building under construction; recordation of the facility commenced without the building license; recordation of the building constructed without a building license etc).
Special attention has been provided to further determination of the some of the types of registration notes.
It is also important to note that amendments provided also obligation for the cadastre administrative authority to submit ex officio the decision on registration of rights to state authority responsible for taxes and to local authority responsible for taxes.
It will be significant whether and how the cadastre administrative authority will implement some of the new amendments to the Law, especially amendments concerning the necessity for the holders of rights to submit the request for registration of the acquired rights in the period of one year from acquirement of that rights, as well as implementation of the provisions on penalties for the failure of such a submission due to the time prescribed by the law.
Milorad Janjevic ... milorad.janjevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Jul 2011
REFORMA PREKRŠAJNOG SISTEMA U CRNOJ GORI
Uzimajući u obzir da dosadašnji prekršajni sistem nije bio u skladu sa zahtjevima Evropske konvencije o ljudskim pravima, pristupilo se reformi istog, koju je pratilo donošenje Strategije za reformu prekršajnog sistema u Crnoj Gori, čija realizacija je rezultirala donošenjem novog Zakona o prekršajima, koji uspostavlja nov i efikasan postupak za procesuiranje prekršajnih predmeta u skladu sa pomenutom Konvencijom.
Naime, Skupština Crne Gore je na sedmoj sjednici drugog redovnog zasijedanja u 2010. godini, dana 22. decembra 2010. godine, usvojila novi Zakon o prekršajima, objavljen u Službenom listu broj 01/11, koji će se primjenjivati počev od 1. septembra 2011. godine.
Donošenjem novog Zakona o preršajima kao sistemskog zakona, neophodno je izvršiti uskladjivanje čitavog sistema zakona i podzakonskih akata sa istim, u kom pravcu su već preduzete odredjene radnje sa strane nadležnih organa. Ovo posebno imajući u vidu činjenicu da dosadašnja zakonska rješenja ukazuju na prenormiranost prekršaja koji upravo utiču ne neefikasnost prekršajnog sistema.
Takodje, donošenjem novog Zakona o prekršajima ujedno se postojeći sistem usaglašava sa Ustavom Crne Gore, koji propisuje da niko ne može biti kažnjen za djelo koje prije nego što je učinjeno nije zakonom bilo propisano kao kažnjivo djelo, što dalje znači da se prekršaji više ne mogu propisivati podzakonskim aktima, tj. uredbama i odlukama lokalne samouprave, kako je to bilo prema važećem Zakonu o prekršajima.
Pored uskladjivanja zakonske regulative, neophodno je izvršiti obuke kako sudija tako i ostalih službenika koji će primjenjivati novi Zakon o prekršajima, te je za očekivati da su takve obuke već u toku i da se privode kraju uzimajući u obzir približavanje početka primjene ovog zakona.
Posebno želimo ukazati na brojne novine koje ovaj zakon donosi, koje se ogledaju u sledećem :
U odnosu na ranija zakonska rješenja, isključena je odgovornost državnih organa, organa lokalne samouprave i organa uprave, dok je predviđena samostalna odgovornost odgovornog lica u tim organima;
Jedna od najznačajanijih novina jeste uvođenje novih sankcija kao što je rad u javnom interesu, ali i uvođenje izričite odredbe da se prekršajni postupak ne može voditi protiv lica koja uživaju diplomatski imunitet;
U pogledu donošenja odluka u prekršajnom postupku, uvedena je nova vrsta odluke – prekršajni nalog, koju izdaju organi uprave i drugi organi određeni ovim zakonom, čijim uvodjenjem se otvara mogućnost da se veliki broj predmeta rješava efikasnije i izvan suda;
Prekršajni postupak je pojednostavljen, i težiće se okončanju pretresa na jednom ročištu;
Definisan je novi način dostavljanja pismena;
Novina ovog zakona je i Sporazum o prihvatanju odgovornosti i sankcije izmedju ovlašćenog organa i okrivljenog kojim se pojednostavljuje i ubrzava prekršajni postupak;
U odnosu na raniji zakon gdje je samo okrivljeni mogao podnijeti zahtjev za povraćaj u pređašnje stanje, zbog propuštanja roka za izjavljivanje žalbe iz opravdanih razloga, novim zakonskim rješenjem je podnošenje zahtjeva za povraćaj u pređašnje stanje omogućeno okrivljenom i ovlašćenom podnosiocu zahtjeva za pokretanje prekršajnog postupka zbog propuštanja pristupanja na pretresu;
Stvarna nadležnost za odlučivanje u prekršajnim predmetima prenosi se na sudove;
Jedna od najznačajnih novina je uvođenje Registra novčanih kazni koji predstavlja elektronsku bazu podataka u koju se unose podaci o svim izrečenim kaznama za prekršaje i troškovima postupka, koji ostaju kao dug u bazi podataka dok kažnjeni ne plati puni iznos novčane kazne i troškova postupka, a najduže četiri godine.
Novčane kazne se mogu izvršiti: pasivnim izvršenjem preko Registra novčanih kazni, prinudnom naplatom i zamjenom novčane kazne kaznom zatvora. Medjutim novčana kazna se ne zamjenjuje odmah kaznom zatvora već tek nakon proteka tri godine, u slučaju da ni prinudnim putem ne može da se naplati novčana kazna;
Kao sankcija predvidjen je rad u javnom interesu, uslovna osuda koja se može izreći umjesto kazne zatvora, propisane su i zaštitne mjere;
Što se tiče redovnih pravnih lijekova novina je zakonsko određenje da kada je prvostepena odluka jednom ukinuta, drugostepeni sud će na sjednici vijeća ili nakon održanog pretresa sam donijeti odluku, što znači da ne može više puta biti ukidana prvostepena odluka;
Stvarna nadležnost u skladu sa ovim zakonom povjerena je sudovima, dok će u prelaznom periodu stvarno nadležni za prekršaje biti područni organi i Vijeće za prekršaje;
Početak primjene novog Zakona o prekršajima, rezultiraće donošenjem propratnih podzakonskih akta, koji će pojednostaviti primjenu ovog zakona, a koja podzakonska akta bi se trebala donijeti u roku od 30 dana od dana početka primjene pomenutog Zakona o prekršajima, što takodje ukazuje da sa danom početka primjene ovog Zakona neće biti pripremljena cjelokupna propratna legislativa, što može donekle i otežati primjenu novog zakona.
Medjutim i pored naprijed navedenog, posmatrajući sa različitih stanovišta, treba imati u vidu da je ovakvo zakonsko rješenje naprednije i bolje od zakonskog riješenja koje je bilo do sada u primjeni i da će isto donijeti pozitivne rezultate u oblasti prekršajnog sistema Crne Gore.
Jelena Vujisic ... jelena.vujisic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
June 2011
OPERATING INTERNET GAMING OR OTHER TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES IN MONTENEGRO
By increasing of the use of the Internet, there has been an emergence of on line betting as a form of Operating Internet gaming or other telecommunication devices. In order to control this form of betting, the Law on Games of Chance prescribes, who has governed the right to use this way of betting and the rights and obligations, which users of these services have in connections to the Government.
In accordance to Law of the games of chances in force in Montenegro Operating Internet gaming or other telecommunication devices shall only be allowed to companies licensed for operating games of chance. Companies shall connect their IT system for internet gaming to the IT system of State administration authority competent for games of chance and provide it with access to data and system notes at any time. The Minister of Finance shall provide detailed regulations of games, supervision, scope of operating of Internet gaming and other telecommunication devices.
Also, for games stated above shall be fixed concession fee in the amount of € 10,000 per month, paid by 15 of the month to month.
Games of chance, according to Law of the games of chances in force in Montenegro, are not considered gaming on computers, simulators, video machines, pinball machines and other similar devices, which are set in motion with the help of money or tokens, as well as darts, billiards and other similar games, in which involved a fee, in which participants can achieve gains in cash, goods, services or rights, but the right to one or more free spins of the same species.
However, it is necessary to point out that the Goverment shall keep discretion right whether certain companies can get this license.
Mirjana Nikcevic ... mirjana.nikcevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Maj 2011
JEDNOŠALTERSKI SISTEM
Aktivnostima Savjeta za regulatornu reformu i unapređenje poslovnog ambijenta Crne Gore izvršeno je generisanje već postojećih rješenja i unaprijedjivanje istih na način što se dala mogućnost da se po principu One stop shop obavi kompletna procedura registracije privrednih društava uključujći i poresku registraciju, na koji način je znatno unapredjeno postojeće zakonsko rješenje i data pozitivna slika i prema preduzetnicima odnosno poslovnim ljudima koji imaju namjeru da započnu svoj biznis u Crnoj Gori ali i stranim investitorima koji inače očekuju da sve procedure vezano za registraciju privrednog društva budu jasne i jednostavne.
Naime, počev od 20.05.2011. godine, uvedene su proceduralne olakšice koje pružaju mogućnost registracije novih privrednih subjekata, da na jednom mjestu registruju kompaniju, prijave se za opštu poresku registraciju, dobiju PDV, akcizni i carinski broj. Takođe, ista olakšica važi i prilikom registracije promjena u privrednom društvu, koje se imaju registrovati kod Poreske uprave, Uprave carina, Komisije za hartije od vrijednosti.
Prilikom uvođenja jednošalterskog sistema predvidjen je optimalan rok u kome se može završiti registracija novih pravnih subjekata koji iznosi 4 (četiri) dana, što predstavlja najveću prednost ovog postupka. Međutim, početak implementacije ovog zakonskog rješenja, koje podrazumjeva pojednostavljenu proceduru registracije privednih društava, nakon mjesec dana njegove primjene u praksi pokazuje drugačije rezultate od planiranih, sa razloga što je dužina trajanja postupka ista kao i ranije možda i duža, što se može jednostavno uočiti ukoliko napravimo paralelu koliko je ranije bilo potrebno odvojiti vremena za registraciju, shodno čemu se izvodi zaključak da uvođenjem jednošalterskog sistema postupak registracije traje duže i do nedelju dana.
Potrebno je naglasiti da u prilog svemu naprijed rečenom ide činjenica da postoji neusaglašenost u razmjeni i protoku podataka između Centralnog registra Privrednog suda, Poreske uprave, Uprave carina i Komisije za hartije od vrijednosati, što predstavlja jedan od glavnih razloga za produžavnje trajanje postupka.
Međutim, s obzirom na to da se radi o novoj praksi, mišljenja smo da će se u narednom periodu usaglasiti radovi nadležnih organa, te korigovati sadašnji nedostaci, a sve u cilju realizovanja projekta kako je to i najavljeno i prezentovano.
KLASIFIKACIJA DJELATNOSTI
Donošenjem novog Zakona o klasifikaciji djelatnosti, koji je stupio na snagu dana 01.04.2011. godine (Sl. List CG 18/11), počinje se sa primjenom novih šifri djelatnosti.
Uvođenjem nove klasifikacije svi privredni subjekti su u obavezi da usklade svoje Statute, tj. izvrše promjenu istih u dijelu šifri djelatnosti društva, i takvu izmjenu registruju kod Centralnog registra Privrednog suda.
Ukazujemo da iako nije preciziran tačan rok u kome je potrebno izvršiti uskladjivanje Statuta sa navednom zakonskom izmjenom, preporuka je se isto procesuira u što kraćem roku, kako bi se izbjegle eventualno negativne posledice kao što su netačni podaci prilikom izdavanja duplikata Rješenja o registraciji ili Izvoda o status društava.
Mirjana Nikcevic ... mirjana.nikcevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
April 2011
COURT SETTLEMENT
There is a strong tendency for stimulation of participants in dispute to resolve court disputes peacefully, i.e. its most frequent form – conclusion of court settlement, for the need of practice and in order to avoid and reduce numerous irrational disputes in the procedural law and practice of our courts in the last few years.
Law on Civil Proceedings prescribes that parties can conclude, in the course of the entire proceeding before the civil court of first instance, the settlement on the subject-matter of dispute which refers to the whole claim or to a part thereof. Settlement can be concluded until the legally effective termination of the procedure, at or outside the hearing, before the court of first instance or before the court of second instance. As for its form, settlement is strictly formal legal work which is considered to be concluded when the parties have read it and signed the court records. Also, the court is authorized to reject court settlement if that settlement is contrary to jus cogens, public policy, and moral. What is especially important for this legal institute is that the court records of the Court Settlement is valid as executive act, final judgment, represents procedural obstacle for initiation of new litigation and it may only be contested by a complaint in a new lawsuit.
Numerosity and diversity of disputes which follow increasingly dynamic legal relations impose the need of more efficient and faster decision making in the proceedings. Thus, the need for more active role of the court in assistance to the parties regarding finding common solution and pointing out to advantages of this form of peaceful dispute resolving has been created. We emphasize that the role of judges must be perceived solely as “actively neutral”, that is to provide the possibility for parties to declare themselves, make their suggestions, and highlight their requests…
The right to fast and efficient court protection is in the corpus of human rights in the European Convention on Human Rights. It is, inter alia, one of the reasons for seeking the ways for more efficient resolving of disputes, since the Council of Europe member states pay high amounts on behalf of claims due to unjustifiably long conduct of proceeding.
There are traditional differences in the practice of certain countries in implementation of peaceful dispute resolving, as well as of its most frequent form – court settlement. To the different extent the accent is put on the intermediary role of the court, but also on endeavors to stimulate participants in legal relation to find negotiated solutions by themselves or through representative or mediator.
It is emphasized in our practice and legislative, that the settlement must be concluded as an expression of free will of the parties. It is incompatible with the reputation of the court, as well as with judiciary tasks when some judges, in order to facilitate their work, persistently incite parties to settlement and inadmissibly insist to reach the settlement.
How much of that is possible to implement in practice, for any actual case, depends not only on the nature of the dispute, since the court settlements have other implementations and results in commercial, labor and family disputes, but also on the knowledge and experiences of judges who aim at or mediate in reaching court settlement.
Radmila Radoicic, Attorney at Law ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
March 2011
THE MAIN NOTES RELATED TO THE REGISTRATION PROCEDURES IN THE CADASTRE OF IMMOVABLE PROPERTY
Cadastre of Immovable property shall mean single public record whereat immovable property and property rights on immovable property and obligation rights are registered in accordance with Law on state surveying and cadastre of immovable property (Official Gazette of Republic of the Montenegro, no. 29/07).The administration authority responsible for affairs of state surveying and cadastre shall perform administrative activities related to development of the cadastre of immovable property, registration of rights in the cadastre of immovable property and maintain of the cadastre of immovable property and development of the Main State Map and topographic maps.
The basic principles of the Cadastre of immovable property are: principle of registration; principle of transparency; principle of reliability; principle of legality; principle of priority; as well as principle of the procedure formality.
Pursuant to the principle of registration the rights on immovable property shall be acquired, transferred, limited and terminated as of the registration in the Cadastre of Immovable Property, unless otherwise is specified by Law.
Types of registration
According to the Law there are several types of registration, as: Full registration, Pre-registration and Recordation (Registration note).
Full registration shall mean entry (registration) by which rights on immovable property are acquired, transferred, limited or terminated without additional justification.
Pre-registration shall mean entry (registration) by which rights on immovable property are acquired, transferred, limited or terminated provided that they are additionally justified.
Recordation (Registration note) shall mean entry (registration) of certain legal facts that can produce legal effects under the conditions prescribed by law. If Law, in case of certain types of recordation (registration note), does not regulate its legal affects, the Recordation (Registration note) shall have the legal effect of public notice, which is registered.
Grounds for registration
Registration of rights shall be done on the basis of: Law; final decision of a competent authority; final and binding decision of the court; document of a legal transaction made in accordance with the Law.
Registration in the Cadastre of Immovable Property may be allowed only in relation to a person (or legal person) who is at the time of application for registration registered as a holder of rights that is required with registration, or in relation to a person that is registered as holder of rights at the same time with application.
Registration in the Cadastre of Immovable property shall be done on the basis of the documents prepared in the form prescribed for them to be valid, and which do not have obvious deficiencies that causes suspicion about their credibility. A document that represents ground for registration, change, limitation or termination of right on immovable property, must contain clear and unequivocal legal ground thereof.
Recordation (Registration note)
Recordation (Registration note) shall be used to record facts relating to the owner of immovable property (the underage, guardianship, depriving of the business capacity) or to the immovable property itself ( initiating a lawsuit for determining rights on immovable properties, or for deletion of registration; initiation of expropriation procedure; existence of the prohibition to divest of and encumber immovable property; initiation of enforcement procedure on immovable property in cases prescribed by law regulating enforcement procedure; fiduciary transfer of ownership right; order of priority for a future registration; recordation of bankruptcy and opening of bankruptcy procedure; recordation of joint ownership on inherited property; recordation of public good, etc).
The Administration authority shall allow recordation at the request of authorized person, court or another state authority.
Full registration
Full registration may be performed on the basis of the private documents, such as e.g. the sales contract or the contract of gift, or on the basis of the public documents such as e.g. decisions of the court or another competent authority; documents on legal transactions prepared by competent authority or notary within their competence or in the form of their validity, provided that they contain all elements necessary for full registration on the basis of private documents; Foreign documents which are considered as public documents in accordance with law in the place such documents are prepared.
Full registration for the benefit of a new holder shall not be allowed, if a previous holder of the rights is not designated, and a right of a new holder determined towards the previous holder in the document on the basis of which a full registration is performed.
Full registration on the basis of the private documents shall be allowed only if the signature on the private document is authenticated in accordance with law.
It is important to emphasize that private documents for full registration, should contain exact designation of the Immovable property and right requested by full registration and explicit statement (clausula intambulandi) of consent to full registration by a person whose right is limited, encumbered, terminated or transferred. The statement can be done in a separate document or in the registration request and it must meet all requirements for full registration. It is also important to note that documents for full registration, particularly private documents, as the sales contract or the contract of gift, should contain exact mark of the immovable property, especially mark named as “PD” of the immovable property (e.g. in case there are more apartments in the building), which mark is issued by the Cadastre as a formal evidence of each of the immovable property.
Registration procedure
Administration authority responsible for affairs of state surveying and cadastre shall perform registration in the Cadastre of Immovable property.
Registration procedure shall commence when a registration request is submitted to regional unit of the administration authority, at the place where the immovable property is located or when a document on the basis of which registration should be decided on ex officio is received to the administration authority.
The request for full registration or pre-registration may be submitted by a person that by virtue of the registration would acquire, change or lose the right on immovable property.
Registration of rights should be carried out at the request of parties, which is supported with documents adequate for registration attached to it.
Registration request should be submitted in written form, and should be received by administration authority regardless whether a document suitable for the registration is attached to it.
Documents representing the ground for allowing registration shall be submitted in original or in authenticated transcript.
Administration authority shall be obliged forthwith to make a decision upon the request and no later than within 30 days as of the day of the receipt of the request. However, by virtue of the large number of different requests that were submitted to the administration authorities, and due to lack of capacity and lack of preparation for the economic growth in the areas of construction and real estate that happen recently in Montenegro, in some of the regional units of the Cadastre administration authority the procedure could take more than it is prescribed by the Law.
Special attention should be also focused on the contents of the decisions of the Cadastre administrative authorities from the reason of existing of errors due to previously mentioned problem of overcrowding with a large number of cases.
Connected with previous statement against the decision of the administrative authority, an appeal may be lodged within eight days as of the day of receipt of decision. The appeal shall be submitted to the competent Ministry through the administration authority that adopted the first instance decision.
Milorad Janjevic ... milorad.janjevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
February 2011
PROCESS OF GAINING THE APPROVAL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CONCENTRATION
Conditions for the creation of monopolistic market on the territory of Montenegro are being created according to transition from one state system to another, by the introduction of privatization procedure in almost all of the fields of the economy and with the introduction of a large number of foreign investments. In order to prevent the same, Montenegrin government adopted the Competition Law (Official Gazette no. 69/08, 37/07) (hereinafter the Law) which regulates the manner, procedure and measures of protection of competition in the market and determines competencies of authorities for protection of competition, and for this purpose establishes the competent authority Directorate for Protection of Competition of Montenegro.
Taking into account development of the modern market, which would monitor market competitiveness as an important factor in the development of democratic society, all the participants at the market, i.e. all the entities who are engaged in the economic activity and who participate in trade of goods or services and who carry out or may violate competition through their activities, are obliged to respect the provisions of the Competition Law by the legislator through the above mentioned Law.
According to the above said, participants in the market are required, as in the cases stipulated by the Law, to obtain an approval for implementation of the concentration from the competent authority of the Directorate for Protection of Competition, and in such manner a full control of the participants who could be a potential monopolists in the relevant market is performed.
Concentration of participants in the market is recognized by the Law in cases of: 1) forming of a new participant by joining two or more previously independent participants or their parts (joining), 2) when one or more natural persons who already control at least one participant in the market, or one or more participants in the market gain control over another participant in the market or his part, 3) establishing and joint control of the new participant by at least two independent participants, who acts on a lasting basis, and who has all the features of independent participant and market access (joint venture).
At the time of creation of legal basis of the concentration, the participant in the market is obliged to submit an Application for issuing an approval for implementation of the concentration to the competent Administration within 7 (seven) days. It should be stressed that in the Application itself it is necessary to specify, in addition to direct participants of the concentration, all the related participants, and to submit even 23 documents along with this, which are related to the direct participants and to related participants of the concentration. Taking into account short terms for the submission of Applications and the extensive documentation necessary to be prepared, according to our experience so far, we can conclude that the preparation of this documentation may take longer, which directly affects the duration of the procedure.
In addition to the above said it is important to note that all the documentation submitted must be submitted in original or verified copies, whereas the documents submitted by the foreign companies which appear as participants of the concentration, must be verified by a notary of their country, and translated into the official language in use in Montenegro, and those translations must be verified by an authorized court interpreter.
In order to facilitate the whole process of preparation of necessary documentation, it is necessary to cooperate with the competent Directorate in this area, especially regarding the part of explanations related to the necessary documentation and heaving deadlines for subsequent submission of that documentation.
With the aim of transparency of the procedure for approval of concentration, Directorate for Protection of Competition publishes data from the Application in the Official Gazette of Montenegro, namely: 1) names of participants in concentration, 2) nature of concentration, and 3) economic sector within which the concentration is performed. During the procedure, additional explanations regarding certain items of the Application may be required from the applicant. Additional explanations are in most cases related to the assessment of the relevant market, and with this reason it is recommended, when determining the relevant markets and the impact of the participant of the concentration on the market, to consult authorities responsible for monitoring the changes in such markets and if possible to use the data of competent authorities for starting points of their assessment, such as the Energy Regulatory Agency, Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Montenegro, Agency for Broadcasting, etc., and all depending on the industries in which the concentration is performed.
The competent authority, upon the application for approval of concentration can: 1) reject the application, 2) cancel the proceedings if the applicant withdraws the application, 3) approve the concentration when assessment of its effects does not prevent, restrict or disturb competition, in particular by creating or strengthening the dominant position in the market, 4) approve the concentration with prescribing, on its own initiative or upon the proposal of the participant, additional requirements and obligations which participants in the concentration must complete within set deadlines before or after implementation of the concentration, 5) refuse to issue the approval for implementation of the concentration when it is determined by the assessment of its effects that such concentration does not significantly prevent, restrict or disturb competition, in particular by creating or strengthening the dominant position in the market.
Since it is a relatively new legislation, which still does not have enough practice on the basis of which certain comparisons could be created, and on the basis of such it is not possible to establish certain standards that must be met, as well as possible precedents, we can emphasize that as the main parameter, which determines the scope of concentration, mostly appears the calculation of the percentage of participation of the participants in the relevant market as well as free interpretation of the Competition Law by the competent Directorate.
After receiving the Decision of approval, the applicant is obliged to record it in the Register of Approved Concentrations in the manner prescribed in the Regulation on form and content of application for the registry of approved concentrations.
Mirjana Nikcevic ... mirjana.nikcevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Decembar 2010
REFORMA ODGOVORNOSTI ZA UVREDU I KLEVETU
Sloboda izražavanja jedan je od osnovnih temelja demokratskog društva, neophodna za otvorenu razmjenu mišljenja koja je uslov demokratskog razvoja.
Članom 47 Ustava Crne Gore, propisano je da svako ima pravo na slobodu izražavanja govorom, pisanom riječju, slikom ili na drugi način, kao i da se pravo na slobodu izražavanja može ograničiti samo pravom drugoga na dostojanstvo, ugled i čast i ako se ugrožava javni moral ili bezbjednost Crne Gore.
Što se tiče slobode medija, Zakonom o medijima (Sl.list Crne Gore broj 46/10) propisano je da se garantuje pravo na slobodno osnivanje i nesmetan rad medija zasnovan na: slobodi izražavanja, prikupljanja, širenja, objavljivanja i primanja informacija, slobodnom pristupu svim izvorima informacija, zaštiti čovjekove ličnosti i dostojanstva i slobodnom protoku informacija. Međutim u Crnoj Gori zastrašivanje novinara i nesrazmjerno visoke kazne zbog klevete predstavljaju razloge za zabrinutost. U tom smislu Zakoni i praksa u pogledu utvrđivanja odgovornosti za klevetu moraju biti potpuno usklađeni sa praksom Evropskog suda za ljudska prava.
Zakoni koji uređuju uvredu i klevetu u nekim državama Zapadnog Balkana, među kojima je i Crna Gora, još uvijek ne obezbjeđuju primjenu standarda koje je Evropski sud za ljudska prava uspostavio u svojoj praksi. U tom dijelu neophodno je preciziranje zakona, koje bi olakšalo razumijevanje evropskih standarda posebno sudijama i novinarima, kao i svim drugim građanima.
U cilju dugoročnog obezbjeđenja poštovanja slobode izražavanja i prava na zaštitu ugleda i časti u skladu sa evropskim standardima, uspostavljenim Evropskom konvencijom o ljudskim pravima i praksom Evropskog suda za ljudska prava, neophodno je sprovesti reformu ustava i zakona, koji uređuju krivičnu i građanskopravnu odgovornost za povredu ugleda i časti.
U tom cilju, nevladine organizacije među kojima i radna grupa Akcije za ljudska prava, ponudila je predlog izmjena i dopuna:
Ustava Crne Gore (članova 47 i 49) Krivičnog zakonika, u vidu:
Potpune dekriminalizacije Glave XVII (krivična djela protiv časti i ugleda) i alternativno,
Izmjena i dopuna krivičnih djela predviđenih u toj glavi;
Predloga novih krivičnih djela: Sprečavanje novinara u obavljanju profesionalnih zadataka i Napad na novinara u obavljanju profesionalnih zadataka;
Zakona o medijima.
Smatramo da je svakako korisno sprovesti reformu u ovoj obasti, posebno kad se ima u vidu činjenica da je sloboda medija poslednjih godina znatno ograničena brojnim sudskim procesima koji se vode protiv novinara, urednika i izdavača, kako zbog klevete i uvrede, tako i radi naknade nematerijalne štete zbog povrede ugleda i časti. Nijesu rijetki slučajevi gdje se povodom jednog, navodno spornog teksta, vodi krivični postupak protiv autora teksta zbog klevete i uvrede i parnični postupak protiv osnivača medija i protiv autora teksta radi naknade nematerijalne štete zbog povrede ugleda i časti. Ovakvim postupanjem nesumnjivo se vrši pritisak na medij, te se pokušava potpuno isljučiti i onako ograničena sloboda medija i sloboda izražavanja.
Ovom prilikom želimo ukazati na pravni nonsens koji postoji u praksi. Naime, protiv jednog okrivljenog podnijete su tri privatne krivične tužbe zbog „krivičnog djela uvrede u sticaju sa krivičnim djelom klevete u produženom trajanju“. Važno je napomenuti da je okrivljeni u ovom slučaju bio autor dva sporna teksta u kojima je samo prenio informaciju koju je dobio od svog izvora, pri čemu nije iznosio svoje mišljenje ili tvrdnju povodom spornog događaja, dok je u trećem spornom tekstu dao izjavu povodom privatne tužbe koja je podnijeta protiv njega, a isti nije bio autor teksta, niti je u svojoj izjavi iznio bilo šta što bi moglo škoditi časti i ugledu privatnih tužilaca. Da situacija bude još teža, povodom istih spornih tekstova podnijeta je tužba za naknadu nematerijalne štete zbog povrede ugleda i časti, i to protiv osnivača medija, kao i protiv aurtora teksta, a koji ima status okrivljenog u postupku po privatnim krivičnim tužbama. Ono što posebno upada u oči, jeste visina tužbenog zahtjeva, radi naknade štete zbog povrede ugleda i časti, koja je nesrazmjerno visoka u odnosu na ekonomsku situaciju u zemlji, kao i odnosu na finansijske mogućnosti lica protiv koga je podnijeta tužba.
Karakteristično je da veoma rijetko lica kojima je navodno povrijeđena čast i ugled kontaktiraju medij radi objavljivanja demantija, iako na to imaju pravo u skladu sa zakonom. Dakle, radije se pribjegava pokretanju sudskih postupaka, iako je demanti jedan od načina da šira javnost bude upoznata sa reagovanjem „oštećenog“ povodom spornog događaja. Evropski sud za ljudska prava utvrdio je standard tzv. „razumne publikacije“, koji podrazumijeva da ako novinar postupa savjesno, tj. poštuje standarde profesionalne etike, čak i klevetničke izjave o pitanjima od javnog značaja mogu biti zaštićene od odgovornosti. Na primjer, ako je novinar, učinio sve što je bilo razumno moguće prije nego što je objavio vijest od legitimnog javnog interesa da provjeri njenu tačnost i ako je imao opravdan razlog da povjeruje u njenu istinitost, osuda na naknadu štete značiće povredu njegovog prava na slobodu izražavanja. To može biti slučaj i ako se novinar oslonio na izvještaj državnog organa, za koji se kasnije ispostavi da je pogrešan ili ako prenese izjavu drugog lica, odnosno medija u namjeri da nastavi debatu od javnog interesa, a ne da, iz loše namjere, proizvoljno napada nečiji ugled.
Takođe treba naglasiti da Zakon o obligacionim odnosima sadrži sledeću odredbu: „Ali ne odgovara za prouzrokovanu štetu onaj ko učini neistinito saopštenje o drugome, ne znajući da je ono neistinito, ako je on ili onaj kome je saopštenje učinio imao u tome ozbiljnog interesa“. Iz ove odrebe jasno proizilazi da je isključena odgovornost u slučaju da je lice koje je prenijelo spornu informaciju (novinar ili neko drugo lice) bilo savjesno.
Nadalje, s obzirom da nije ograničen iznos koji bi mogao biti dosuđen u parničnom postupku na ime naknade nematerijalne štete, nerijetko je visina tužbenog zahtjeva nesrazmjerno visoka u odnosu na nastale „posledice“, te u tom smislu treba ukazati na obavezu poštovanja minimalnog standarda u pogledu srazmjernosti građanskih odšteta za povredu časti i ugleda, koje moraju uzeti u obzir prosječnu platu u državi, odnosno zaradu tuženog, a u slučaju kada je tuženi pravno lice (osnivač medija...) iznose koji neće ugroziti njihov opstanak.
Takođe, postavlje se pitanje na koji način se odmjerava visina tužbenog zahtjeva u parničnom postupku, kakvi su to dusevni bolovi za koje se traži satisfakcija u iznosima od više desetina hiljada eura, odnosno da li se čast i ugled uopšte mogu izmjeriti u novcu i nadoknaditi novčanim sredstvima? Smatramo da su čast i ugled osnovne vrijednosti svakog čovjeka koje svakako treba poštovati, ali je apsurdno zbog svake izgovorene riječi koja ne odgovora licu na koje se odnosi, i navodno vrijeđa dostojanstvo, čast i ugled, zahtijevati naknadu štete u enormnim iznosima.
Smatramo da povredu ugleda, časti i dostojanstva nije potrebno štiti kroz krivični zakon, jer su ove vrijednosti sasvim dovoljno zaštićene građanskopravnim sankcijama. Nameće se pitanje da li je zbog izgovorene riječi uopšte potrebno voditi krivični postupak, posebno kada se ima u vidu činjenica da se kazne u slučaju krivičnih djela koja se gone po privatnoj tužbi, uplaćuju u korist državnog budžeta i ne predstavljaju nikakvu satisfakciju za „oštećenog“. Sa druge strane, da li je primjereno osuditi čovjeka zbog izgovorene riječi i na taj način ga poistovijetiti sa licima koja vrše mnogo teža krivična djela, s obzirom da u skladu sa članom 225 Zakonika u krivičnom postupku (Sl.list Crne Gore broj 49/10), Ministarstvo pravde vodi kaznennu evidenciju o licima osuđenim za krivična djela na teritoriji Crne Gore, bez obzira o kom krivičnom djelu je riječ. Dakle, da li je moguće izjednačiti krivično djelo uvrede i klevete, sa recimo krivičnim djelom ubistva ili teške krađe? Svakako da nema mjesta upoređivanju ovih krivičnih djela, ali njihovi učinioci se tretiraju na isti način s obzirom da se i jedni i drugi upisuju u kaznenu evidenciju. Smatramo ispravnim mišljenje da novinari, aktivisti nevladinih organizacija, umjetnici i drugi usled javnog izražavanja stavova u demokratskom društvu, ne treba da budu osuđivani u krivi čnom postupku kao što je to slučaj sa učiniocima težih krivičnih djela.
Na kraju ističemo da su na okruglom stolu koji je održan povodom predloga reforme odgovornosti za uvredu i klevetu, iz nadležnih državnih organa, među kojima i Ministarstvo pravde, izrazili spremnost da podrže pomenutu reformu, ali u praksi se još uvijek ne vidi da postoji politička volja kako bi se zaista i sprovele reforme u oblasti krivičnog zakonodavstva.
Snezana Micanovic ... snezana.micanovic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
WHAT IS AN ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE AND HOW DOES IT WORK IN MONTENEGRO?
Electronic signature is a set of data in electronic form that are attached to or logically associated with the electronic document and serve to identify the signatory. Beside this, advanced electronic signature is electronic signature that reliably guarantees the identity of the signatory and the integrity of electronic documents and fulfils the conditions laid down by the Law.
By implementing digital signatures, organizations in Montenegro are able to significantly shorten process times while cutting costs and improving collaboration and efficiency.
With Montenegrin Law on Electronic Signature is prescribed that the admission of an electronic document with electronic signature or advanced electronic signature may not be rejected only because it is in electronic form. Persons, who keep electronic documents that are electronically signed, shall keep data and means for verification of electronic signature as long as these documents are kept.
Electronic signature’s validity may not be denied, nor may be rejected as the evidence solely because:
- It is in electronic form;
- It is not based on a qualified certificate;
- It is not based on a qualified certificate issued by an accredited certification service provider;
- It is not created by means for creation of advanced electronic signature.
Advanced electronic signature, which can be verified on the basis of a qualified certificate, in relation to data in electronic form has the same legal force as manu propria signature, i.e. manu propria signature and stamp in relation to data in paper form and is acceptable as evidence in legal affairs. Electronic signature is made using means for electronic signature creation. Moreover, advanced electronic signature is made using means for advanced electronic signature creation. Means for creation of advanced electronic signature must ensure that:
- Data for creation of advanced electronic signature appear only once and that their safety is achieved;
- From data for verification of advanced electronic signature, during validity period of certificate, data for formation of advanced electronic signature cannot be obtained with currently available means;
- Advanced electronic signature is protected from forging using currently available technology;
- Signatory may reliably protect data for creation of advanced electronic signature from unauthorized use.
Means for creation of advanced electronic signature shall not, during creation of advanced electronic signature, change the data that shall be signed or preclude the signatory to have an insight to the data before advanced electronic signature creation process. Taking into account this basic information, definitely there are many benefits of moving to an electronic signature system, as electronic signature solutions definitely can automate formal approvals, cut costs and expedite the business processes in our country.
Radmila Radoicic ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
November 2012
ČLANSKI DOPRINOS U TURISTIČKIM ORGANIZACIJAMA
Zakonom o turističkim organizacijama regulisano je obračunavanje i plaćanje članskog doprinosa u turističkim organizacijama. Naime, Zakonom o turističkim organizacijama uređuje se osnivanje, načela organizacije i rada turističkih organizacija, načela njihovog finansiranja, kao i kriterijumi za kategorisanje turističkih mjesta. Pojašnjavamo da članski doprinos u turističkim organizacijama plaćaju sva pravna i fizička lica koja na teritoriji opština u kojoj je osnovana lokalna turistička organizacija imaju svoje sjedište ili organizacioni dio, a koja ostvaruje prihod obavljanjem turističkih, ugostiteljskih i s turizmo neposredno povezanih djelatnosti.
Zakon navodi da su osnovni elementi za utvrđivanje visine članskog doprinosa grupa djelatnosti i obim prihoda, koji član ostvari u godini prije godine za koju se utvrđuje članski doprinos, a što se utvrđuje rješenjem Uprave lokalnih javnih prihoda.
Djelatnosti za koje se plaća članski doprinos turističkim organizacijama razvrstavaju se u pet grupa u zavisnosti od nivoa povezanosti ostvarenog prihoda sa turizmom i to tako da su u prvoj grupi zastupljene djelatnosti čiji prihod je najviše neposredno zavistan od turizma, a u posljednjoj grupi one djelatnosti čiji prihod najmanje zavisi od turizma.
Shodno Pravilniku o razvrstavanju djelatnosti za koje se plaća članski doprinos turističkim organizacijama pojašnjavamo da su u:
- prvoj grupi djelatnosti vezane za ugostiteljske objekte kao i djelatnosti vezane za prevoz putnika drumskim, vazdušnim, pomorskim i rječnim saobraćajem…;
-u drugoj grupi djelatnosti putničkih agencija i turoperatora, te proizvodnja alkoholnih i bezalkoholnih pića, kao i iznajmljivanja automobila i ostalih kopnenih saobraćajnih sredstava prevoza, kao i sredstava za prevoz vodenim putem…:,
- u trećoj grupi djelatnosti vezano za kockanje i klađenje, te tretmani za poboljšanje fizičkog stanja i raspoloženja, usluge u drumskom saobraćaju, opravka i održavanje motornih vozila kao i trgovina na veliko čvrstim, tečnim i gasovitim gorivima i sličnim proizvodima…:
- u četvrtoj grupi djelatnosti vezane za proizvodnju nakita i sličnih predmeta, rad umjetničkih ustanova, frizerski i drugi tretmani za uljepšavanje, te djelatnosti pošta,osiguranja života i ostala osiguranja..:,
- u petoj grupi djelatnosti vezane za trgovinu na veliko i malo voćem i povrćem, mesom i proizvodima od mesa, mliječnim proizvodima, jajima i jestivim uljima, alkoholnim i drugim pićima, duvanskim proizvodima, te trgovina na malo medicinskim preparatima, tekstiklom, odjećom... Razvrstavanje djelatnosti po pojedinim grupama vrši se prema propisu koje donosi Ministarstvo. Visina godišnjeg članskog doprinosa utvrđuje se u rasponu od 50 do 10.00 eura. Visinu navedenog doprinosa određuju opštine svojim propisima, u zavisnosti od grupe djelatnosti i obima prihoda koje član ostvari u godini prije godine za koju se utvrđuje članski doprinos. Način obračunavanja i plaćanja članskog doprinosa uređuje takodje opština svojim propisima. Prikupljena sredstva od članskog doprinosa koriste se za finansiranje djelatnosti lokalne turističke organizacija u iznosu od 70%, a 30% za finansiranje programa Nacionalne turističke organizacije. Nadzor nad utvrđivanjem, obračunavanjem i plaćanjem članskog doprinosa vrši nadležni poreski organ opštine.
Shodno prednjem može se izvesti zaključak da su Pravilnikom o razvrstavanju djelatnosti za koje se plaća članski doprinos turističkim organizacijama obuhvaćene i one djelatnosti koje nijesu u neposrednoj vezi sa turizmom, kao i djelatnosti čiji prihodi ne zavise od turizma, na koji način su takve djelatnosti nepotrebno opterećene obavezom plaćanja članskog doprinosa.
Dalfina Zuric ...... duda.zuric@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Oktobar 2012
Postupak utvrđivanja poreza na nepokretnost za pravna lica
Porez na nepokretnost tereti korištenje ili vlasništvo nekog oblika nekretnine - zemljišta odnosno građevinskog objekta. Ovu vrstu poreza treba razlikovati od ostalih poreza kojim se oporezuju nekretnine, poput poreza na promet nekretnina, ili poreza na dohodak od nekretnina.
Postupak i način oporezivanja propisuju Zakon o porezu na nepokretnost (Sl.list RCG br. 65/01, 69/03, 75/10) Zakon o poreskoj administraciji (Sl.list RCG br. 65/01, 80/04, 29/05, 20/11) kao i Uredba o bližim kriterijumima i metodologiji za određivanje tržišne vrijednosti nepokretnosti, koju je donijela Vlada Crne Gore na sjednici od 07.07.2011. godine.
Obveznik poreza na nepokretnosti je vlasnik te nepokretnosti na dan 1. januara godine za koju se utvrđuje porez. Kad je vlasnik nepokretnosti nepoznat ili nije određen, obveznik poreza je korisnik te nepokretnosti. Osnovica ove vrste poreza je tržišna vrijednost nepokretnosti koja predstavlja vrijednost te nepokretnosti na dan 1. januara godine za koju se porez utvrđuje.
Osnovica poreza na nepokretnosti u svojini pravnog lica, odnosno obveznika koji vodi poslovne knjige utvrđuje se tako što se kao tržišna vrijednost nepokretnosti uzima vrijednost nepokretnosti koja je prikazana u njegovim poslovnim knjigama, a koju vrijednost je obveznik kroz poresku prijavu dužan dostaviti nadležnom poreskom organu. Na tu vrijednost primjenjuje se odgovarajuća poreska stopa koju utvrđuje jedinica lokalne uprave, te tako dobijeni iznos predstavlja utvrđeni godišnji porez, koji se plaća u dvije jednake rate.
U slučaju da obveznik u poslovnim knjigama ne iskaže vrijednost nepokretnosti u skladu sa propisima kojima se uređuje računovodstvo i ne podnese poresku prijavu, porez na nepokretnosti obračunava se na nešto složeniji način. Naime, poreski organ najprije mora utvrditi tržišnu vrijednost nepokretnosti, što može uraditi posredstvom ovlašćenog vještaka za procjenu nepokretnosti. Osim toga, prosječna tržišna cijena m2 nepokretnosti po zonama i vrsti nepokretnosti može se utvrditi i na osnovu reprezentativnog uzorka ugovora o kupoprodaji za prethodne tri godine, koji organ uprave nadležan za poreze dostavlja opštini. Shodno tome, osnovni kriterijumi na osnovu kojih se utvrđuje vrijednost nepokretnosti su njena namjena, veličina, mjesto gdje se nalazi kao i kvalitet. Nakon što je utvrđena poreska osnovica na istu se primjenjuje propisana stopa poreza i na taj način dolazi do iznosa godišnjeg poreza.
Poreski organ ima ovlašćenje da za poreskog obveznika podnese poresku prijavu, ukoliko ista nije podnijeta u propisanom roku, kao i da dopuni nepotpunu i ispravi pogrešno popunjenu poresku prijavu.
U postupku utvrđivanja poreza nadležni poreski organ ima pravo da pozove svako lice, kada ocijeni da je njegovo prisustvo u postupku provođenja poreskih propisa potrebno, a pozvano lice je dužno da se odazove pozivu. Poreski obveznik ima pravo da angažuje kvalifikovanog punomoćnika-advokata, koji će zastupati njegove interese pred poreskim organima. O toku ispitivanja pozvanog lica, postupku inspekcijskog nadzora kao i o važnim usmenim izjavama stranke, punomoćnika, svjedoka, vještaka ili trećeg lica u postupku sačinjava se zapisnik koji predstavlja javnu ispravu.
Po okončanju cjelokupnog postupka, donosi se poresko rješenje, koje je u pisanom obliku i mora se kao takvo označiti i dostaviti poreskom obvezniku. Naravno, na dostavljeno rješenje se može izjaviti žalba.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Septembar 2012
ODGOVORNOST PRAVNIH LICA ZA KRIVIČNA DJELA
Zakon o odgovornosti pravnih lica za krivična djela stupio je na snagu 19. januara 2007. godine. Ovaj Zakon predstavlja odstupanje od dotadašnjeg pravila, da pravna lica ne mogu odgovarati za krivična djela. Prvi put u naše krivično pravo uvodi se krivična odgovornost pravnih lica. Razvoj međunarodnog prava i ratifikovane konvencije uticale su da se u naše krivično zakonodavstvo uvede odgovornost pravnih lica za krivična djela. Navedenim Zakonom se uređuju uslovi odgovornosti pravnih lica za krivična djela, krivične sankcije koje se primjenjuju prema pravnim licima, kao i krivični postupak u kome se te sankcije izriču.
Zakon navodi da osim Države Crne Gore, državnih organa i organa lokalne samouprave, krivično odgovaraju sva druga pravna lica. Pod pravnim licem podrazumjeva se privredno društvo, strano društvo i dio stranog društva, javno preduzeće, javna ustanova, domaća i strana nevladina organizacija, investicioni fond, drugi fond (osim fonda koji isključivo vrši javna ovlašćenja), sportska organizacija, politička partija, kao i drugo udruženje ili organizacija koje u okviru svog poslovanja stalno ili povremeno ostvaruje ili pribalja sredstva i njima raspolaže. Pod odgovornim licem podrazumjeva se fizičko lice kome su povjereni određeni poslovi u pravnom licu, lice koje je ovlašćeno da postupa u ime pravnog lica, kao i lice za koje se osnovano može pretpostaviti da je ovlašćeno da postupa u ime pravnog lica. Odgovorno lice je i fizičko lice koje kao akcionar djeluje u ime pravnog lica.
Pravna lica mogu odgovarati za krivična djela iz posebnog dijela Krivičnog Zakonika i za druga krivična djela propisana posebnim zakonom (sporedno krivično zakonodavstvo), ako su ispunjeni uslovi za odgovornost pravnog lica. Osnovna pretpostavka za odgovornost pravnog lica jeste da je učinjeno krivično djelo. Nije sporno da krivično djelo u objektivno-subjektivnom smislu može učiniti samo fizičko lice, da se bez granica odgovornosti fizičkog lica, ne može utvrditi odgovornost pravnog lica. Polazi se od toga da pravno lice, pod određenim uslovima, odgovara za krivično djelo svog odgovornog lica i to kada je ono djelujući u ime pravnog lica u okviru svojih ovlašćenja učinilo krivično djelo u namjeri da za to pravno lice ostvari kakvu korist. Odgovornost pravnog lica postoji i onda kada je djelovanje tog odgovornog lica bilo u suprotnosti sa poslovnom politikom ili nalozima pravnog lica. Takođe Zakon propisuje da je pravno lice odgovorno za krivično djelo i ako odgovorno lice koje je učinilo krivično djelo nije osuđeno za to krivično djelo. Odgovornost pravnog lica ne isključuje krivičnu odgovornost odgovornog lica za učinjeno krivično djelo zbog kojeg odgovara i pravno lice.Zakon propisuje dvije vrste kazni, koje se mogu izreći pravnom licu samo kao glavne kazne, i to novčana kazna i prestanak pravnog lica. Novčana kazna se utvrđuje zavisno od iznosa učinjene štete ili pribavljene protivpravne imovinske koristi, a ukoliko se iznosi različiti, kao osnov za utvrđivanje novčane kazne uzeće se viši iznos. Novčana kazna ne može biti manja od dvostrukog iznosa učinjene štete ili pribavljene protivpravne imovinske koristi, niti veća od stostrukog iznosa učinjene imovinske štete ili pribavljene protivpravne imovinske koristi. Prestanak pravnog lica kao kazna može se izreći ako je djelatnost pravnog lica u cjelini ili u znatnoj mjeri bila u funkciji vršenja krivičnog djela, a pravno lice prestaje da postoji brisanjem iz Centralnog registra Privrednog suda ili drugog registra koji vodi nadležni državni organ.
Osim kazne, Zakon propisuje i druge krivične sankcije: uslovnu osudu i mjere bezbjednosti. Sud može pravno lice kome je izrečena uslovna osuda da stavi pod zaštitni nadzor za određeno vrijeme u toku vremena provjeravanja, a ako utvrdi da je ispunjena svrha ove mjere, može zaštitni nadzor ukinuti prije isteka određenog vremena. Mjere bezbjednosti koje se mogu izreći pravnim licima su: sačinjavanje i sprovođenje programa djelotvornih, neophodnih i razumnih mjera; oduzimanje predmeta; javno objavljivanje presude; zabrana obavljanja određenih privrednih ili drugih djelatnosti-koja se ne može izreći uz uslovnu osudu.
O izrečenim sankcijama kaznenu evidenciju vodi Centralni registar Privrednog suda i podaci iz kaznene evidencije mogu se dati samo sudu, državnom tužiocu i organu uprave nadležnom za poslove policije u vezi sa krivičnim postupkom koje se vodi protiv pravnog lica, organu za izvršenje krivičnih sankcija, organu koji učestvuje u postupku davanja amnestije, pomilovanja, rehabilitacije ili odlučivanja o prestanku pravnih posljedica osude.Zakon propisuje jedinstvenost postupka - za isto krivično djelo, po pravilu, postupak protiv pravnog lica se pokreće i sprovodi zajedno sa postupkom protiv odgovornog lica. Dakle, u jedinstvenom postupku podnosi se jedinstvena optužnica protiv okrivljenog pravnog lica i okrivljenog odgovornog lica i donosi jedinstvena presuda. Novinu predstavlja institut odlaganja krivičnog gonjenja, koji podrazumjeva da pravno lice prihvati ispunjenje jedne ili više obaveza propisanih Zakonom, što upućuje na zaključak, da se smatra cjelishodnijim, korisnim i opravdanim ispunjenje nekih od propisanih obaveza u odnosu na njihovo kažnjavanje. U pogledu obavezne odbrane, odredbe Zakonika o krivičnom postupku ne primjenjuju se i na okrivljeno pravno lice. Okrivljeno pravno lice kao i odgovorno pravno lice mogu imati zajedničkog branioca, ukoliko to nije u suprotnosti sa interesima njihove odbrane.
Shodno prednjem može se zaključiti, da je obim primjene Zakona o odgovornosti pravnih lista za krivična djela veliki, da se njegova primjena ne može zamisliti, jer na to upućuju zakonske odredbe, bez primjene Krivičnog Zakonika CG i Zakonika o krivičnom postupku CG , kao i da je mnoštvo pravnih lica na koja će se primjenjivati, pa je posebno značajan kako za pravosudne organe koji će ga primjenjivati, tako i za pravna lica na koja će se primjenjivati, odnosno za njihova odgovorna lica.
Dalfina Zuric ...... duda.zuric@lawoffice-vujacic.com
June 2012
NEW BANKRUPTCY LAW OF MONTENEGRO
On May 7 and 8, 2012 representative of the Law Office Vujacic took part to the counselling and conference related to the New Bankruptcy Law of Montenegro in organization of Association of Bankruptcy trustee of Montenegro.
The main goals of the conference were the explanation of the new Bankruptcy Law, adopted in January 2011.
At the beginning it is necessary to make an introduction and to explain this term. Simply said, bankruptcy law allows a debtor, who is unable to pay his creditors, to resolve his debts through the division of his assets among his creditors. This supervised division also allows the interests of all creditors to be treated with some measure of equality. Certain bankruptcy proceedings allow a debtor to stay in business and use revenue generated to resolve his or her debts.
An additional purpose of bankruptcy law is to allow certain debtors to free themselves (to be discharged) of the financial obligations they have accumulated, after their assets are distributed, even if their debts have not been paid in full.
So, as the most important impression from this counselling could be emphasizes that the new law in Montenegro significantly shortens deadlines and enables submitting of a legally enforceable restructuration plan together with the bankruptcy petition, against which creditors claims are to be settled.
Another important novelty is the possibility for the debtor company to be sold as a single legal entity, which increases its chances of survival. Overall, market entry and exit mechanisms were further improved.
Bankruptcy law is better regulating the whole bankruptcy proceedings, in particular the role of individual participants in that proceeding. The law decreased number of the body proceeding, because the court functions processes only the judge who controls the entire process. Bankruptcy law thoroughly regulated the legal status of the bankruptcy trustee, who manages the debtor and the bankruptcy estate, which is the main point of the bankruptcy because it connects all the participants in this process.
In the same sense is better regulated participation of creditors in bankruptcy proceedings, with respect to their right to decide in which direction will lead the bankruptcy proceedings; in the direction of reorganization and rehabilitation of the debtor or in the direction of his bankruptcy and termination of existence as a business and legal entity.
Bankruptcy law has expanded the possibility of reorganization proceedings of the debtor and his acceleration too, the possibility to submit a reorganization plan in advance, actually in the same time with filing of the initial act - bankruptcy petition. This could be done by the debtor, as this party is the best involved in all problems of his business and the possibility of financial repair.
Moreover, bankruptcy law has expanded the circle of the bankruptcy reasons. In addition to permanent disability for payments and related insolvency, new reasons are insolvency and debtor failure to act according to the adopted plan of reorganization, as well as in the case that the plan is proceed on fraudulently or illegally manner.
The new law came into force in January last year. Although this law is much more suitable for practical use than the previous Law on Insolvency of Companies, for short period of application of the new law could not be crystallized eventual legal uncertainties which may appear in its implementation. But, the experience that we gain in the bankruptcy proceedings and the court practise that will form in future, will give us the answers to all legal dilemmas and doubts that could arise in interpreting and applying of the new law.
Radmila Radoicic ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
May 2012
PROTECTION OF RIGHTS IN THE PUBLIC PROCURMENT PROCEDURE
The law on Public procurement (Official Gazette no. 42/11 dated on 15.8.2011 ) governs the conditions, manner and procedure of procurement of goods and services and public procurement, as well as Protection Of Rights In The Public Procurment Procedure and other issues of relevance for public procurement.
The State Commission for control of Public Procurement procedures (hereinafter State Commission) is autonomous and independent state body which provides legal protection of bidders and the public interest in all phases of the public procurement procedures.
Previous law was proscribing that bidder could file an objection to the contracting authority on every single phase of public procurement procedures. If he omits to object timely, he could not appeal any more for cause made in that phase. Only after decision of contracting authority upon objection it was allowed to appeal to State commission, as second instance. Since objection had a suspension effect, it led to prolongation of procedures, which was contrary to principles of efficiency and urgency proclaimed by that same Law.
Within the applicable Law, procedure for the protection of rights is abbreviated and simplified. It is initialized by lodging an appeal to the State Commission, which appeal may be lodged due to reasons enumerated by Law. Copy of the appeal should be submitted to the contracting authority as well, who will notify all participants in the public procurement procedure about the appeal. Active legitimation in this procedure is on the bidders and other interested persons. Timely and properly appeal has suspense effect, which means that contracting authority will suspend all activities until a final decision of State Commission. In case that the appeal contains a formal deficiency that prevents acting upon the appeal, or if it is incomprehensible or incomplete, the State Commission will request from the appellant to remove those deficiencies. An appeal should be submitted directly or by registered letter mail, as well as in electronic form. If a contracting authority establishes that the appeal is partly or in whole justified, it may annul the decision or substitute it with another decision. Also, it may correct the performed actions in accordance with the request contained in the appeal or annul the public procurement procedure and inform all the participants of the procedure thereof. The State Commission must adopt a decision in respect of submitted appeal within 15 days from the day of receipt of the files and complete documentation on the public procurement procedure. The time limit may be extended for no more than 10 days in case with comprehensive documentation or when some additional actions that needs to be undertaken. The State Commission decides by conclusion or decision. The decision shall be delivered to the appellant and contracting authority and published on internet page of State Commission. As final, it is not possible to appeal against decision of Commission, but it is allowed to start an administrative procedure before Administrative court. The judicial protection procedure is of an urgent nature.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
April 2012
MERGER OF COMPANIES IN MONTENEGRO
In today's global business environment of Montenegro companies may have to grow to survive and one of the good way to grow is by merging with another company. Many companies strive to advance themselves in the marketplace in combination with achievement of their overall objectives.
In Montenegro restructuring of a Companies by merger may only take place when the assets of the Company exceed its debts. This procedure can be done when one or more companies join the existing company by transferring the entire assets and liabilities to that Company. The surviving company, or the newly founded company, shall be known as the recipient company, whereas the company transferring assets and liabilities shall be known as merged company.
Board of Directors of the company involved in merger shall prepare a written report giving a detailed legal and economic justification of reasons and consequences of the merger and also board of Directors of Companies involved in merger shall be obliged to harmonize a draft contract of merger. That harmonized draft contract of merger in the name of every company being merged shall be signed by a member of the Board of Directors determined by every company included in merger. Moreover, the Board of Directors of every company involved in merger shall determine one or more independent experts to examine the draft contract of merger.
In his reports, independent expert shall be obliged to, including but not limited to give an opinion on terms and proposal of merger, used methods, determined share exchange ratio, including amount of cash payment, as well as to state difficulties, if any, during the assessment of the company's assets. This person can be an auditor, court expert with economic background, or another appraiser selected by the Board of Directors, as well as an audit firm. But, cannot be a current or former authorized person or person employed in the company being merged, person who is a business partner of the company being merged, or spouse or first degree relative of a member of the Board of Directors or of employee in the company being merged.
Companies involved in merger shall be obliged to provide, at the request of independent expert, all data and documents necessary for developing a report. Members of the Board of Directors of the company being merged, as well as independent expert examining a draft contract of merger shall be liable for damage they cause to shareholders of the company in the procedure of merger, if they did not act conscientiously and with due care. This act shall be submitted to the Central Registry in order to be published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro. The company shall publish the notice of merger at least in two daily printed media published in Montenegro at least 30 days prior to holding the general meeting of shareholders where the draft contract of merger shall be considered. Also, every company involved in merger shall inform thereon in writing all creditors at least 30 days prior to holding the general meeting of shareholders when draft contract of merger shall be considered.
SIMPLIFIED MERGER
Also, the Law stipulates a simplified merger procedure in the case when the recipient company holding at least 90% of shares of a transferring company, if the following conditions are fulfilled:
- the draft contract of merger is published in the Official Gazette of Montenegro, and the notice of merger is published at least in two daily printed media issued in Montenegro no later than 30 days before the finally decision is made,
- shareholders of the recipient company are provided with the access in the registered office of the recipient company, with the draft contract of merger, annual financial statements for the last three years and special financial statement at least 30 days before the finally decision is made.
Finally, is remained only to emphasize great advantages of this procedure which have proved in practice of many companies that already have passed this procedure. Their business decision and intention for the merger could be correlated with the economic crisis that affected a large number of companies today and the whole current business environment in Montenegro.
Radmila Radoicic ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
March 2012
TEMPORARY MEASURES BEFORE INITIATION OF THE MAIN COURT PROCESS, THAT PROCEED ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF EXECUTION AND SECURITY
Temporary measure is legal instrument by which the creditor secures its claim before the court.
It is important to stress that legal effect and aim of temporary measure is the security, but not the obligation fulfilling.
The creditor who has a legal interest may apply for a temporary measure before litigation, in order to preventing the possible negative consequences that can cause by the time of litigation, in which case will be applicable the Law on Execution and Security.
The Court is authorized to bring decision of the temporary measure under summary process at all stages and out of hearing according to the law, that requires strict enforcement of the law in relation of the lawfulness and effect of temporary measures establishing a temporary de facto situation of limited duration.
Also the court is obliged to determine the legal interest of the creditor to conduct such proceedings, and the court will bring decision of temporary measure if the proposer of securing made seem likely existence of a claim and of the danger that settlement of claim might be thwarted or made significantly more difficult, taking into consideration all circumstances and principle of prevention of right abuse.
We point our that the Law of Execution and Security prescribes that according to the motion of the creditor, the court may determine a temporary measure even when the creditor did not make it seem likely that the claim and danger exist, if beforehand he deposits within the time notice left to the creditor, the amount determined by the court as a warranty for damages that could have been caused to the debtor by determining and enforcing of a temporary measure.
Namely above mentioned refers to the case if the creditor fails to enclose the court evidences needed for determination of temporary measure, in which case the court will appreciate the "weight" of the proposed measure, its effect and possible adverse effects of the debtor, whether the harmful effects can successfully remove by deposited compensation, and the court will decide on the merits of the proposal and the amount of deposit.
Court sets deadline for deposit to the creditor, and the court should not to bring decision of temporary measure before paying of deposit, though in practice the situation is quite different, because the court by the decision of temporary measure orders to the creditor paying of deposit, practically before fulfilling of law conditions for the temporary measure, which can simply lead to abuse of rights.
Decision of temporary measure shall have the effect of a decision on execution in cases prescribed by the Law, that is to say:
1. when in purpose of securing monetary claim the court bring one of the following temporary measures: ban on debtor to dispose of movables, as well as safekeeping of those objects; ban of alienation and burdening of shares or a share in an economic entity, with registration of the ban into the competent register; ban to the debtor to alienate or burden his/her real property or real rights to that real property that have been registered into the public book for his benefit, along with registration of that ban into the public book; an order to the bank to deny to the debtor or to a third person payment of the monetary amount for which transitional measure has been determined, upon the order of debtor.
2. when in purpose of non-monetary claim the court bring one of the following temporary measures: ban of alienation and burden on movables to which the claim refers, as well as safekeeping of such objects; ban of alienation and burden on shares or share in an economic entity to which the claim refers, along with registration of the ban into the adequate register; ban of alienation and burden on real property to which the claim refers, along with registration of the claim into the public book.
In above listed cases, by making a decision of temporary measure the execution shall be considered as permitted, and there is no need start with a separate enforcement.
The decision by which a temporary measure is determined, shall determine also the duration of that measure, and if the measure is determined before the lawsuit was filed or another proceeding initiated and within time notice in which the proposer of securing must file the lawsuit.
We point out that if creditor did not file a complaint within determined time notice, i.e. did not initiate another proceeding with view of justifying the temporary measure or if during the time for which the transitional measure was determined expired, the court shall, upon the proposal of debtor of securing, suspend the proceedings or abolish the undertaken actions.
Jelena Vujisic ... jelena.vujisic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Mart 2012
PRIVREMENE MJERE KOJE PRETHODE POKRETANJU POSTUPKA I SPROVODE SE PO PRAVILIMA ZAKONA O IZVRŠENJU I OBEZBJEDJENJU
Privremena mera predstavlja pravno sredstvo kojim povjerilac osigurava ostvarenje svog zahteva posredstvom suda.
Važno je naglasiti da pravno dejstvo i cilj privremene mere jeste obezbjedjenje a ne ispunjenje obaveze.
Lice koje ima pravni interes može podnijeti zahtjev za odredjivanje privremene mjere prije pokretanja parnice, na koji nacin se predupredjuju moguce negativne posledice po povjerioca koje može prouzrokovati vremenski period trajanja parnice, u kom slučaju e se primjenjivati Zakon o izvršenju i obezbjedjenju.
Sud je ovlašćen da donese odluku o privremenoj mjeri na osnovu sumarnog postupka u svim fazama i van rasprave u skladu sa zakonom, što podrazumjeva striktnu primjenu zakona u odnosu na dozvoljenost i dejstvo privremene mere kojom se uspostavlja privremeno faktičko stanje ograničenog vremenskog trajanja.
Prilikom donošenja odluke o privremenoj mjeri sud je dužan da utvrdi pravni interes predlaga a za vodjenje tog postupka, te ukoliko stekne uvjerenje o postojanju potraživanja i opasnosti da će se ostvarivanje potraživanja osujetiti ili znatno otežati, sud moze donijeti privremenu mjeru pažljivo ispitujući sve okolnosti i vodeći računa o načelu sprečavanja zloupotrebe prava. Medjutim, Zakonom o izvršenju i obezbjedjenju data je mogucnost da sud na predlog predlagača obezbjeđenja, odredi privremenu mjeru i kad isti nije učinio vjerovatnim postojanje potraživanja i opasnost, ako prethodno položi, u ostavljenom mu roku, iznos koji sud odredi kao jemstvo za štetu koja bi protivniku obezbjeđenja mogla biti nanesena određivanjem i sprovođenjem privremene mjere.
Naime, prednje se podrazumjeva u slu aju da predlaga obezbjedjenja ne priloži sudu potrebne dokaze za odredjivanje privremene mjere, dok e sud u tom slu aju cijeniti “težinu” predložene mjere, njeno dejstvo i mogu e negativne efekte prema protivniku obezbjedjenja, da li se štetne posledice mogu uspješno otkloniti nov anom nadoknadom, te odlu uje o osnovanosti predloga i visini jemstva. Sud odredjuje predlaga u rok u kome je isti dužan da položi utvrdjeni iznos jemstva i isti ne bi trebalo da donosi odluku o odredjivanju privremene mjere prije polaganja jemstva, medjutim u praksi je potpuno druga ija situacija, jer sud upravo rješenjem o odredjivanju privremene mjere nalaže predlaga u da položi jemstvo u odredjenom roku, odredjivaju i privremenu mjeru prakti no prije ispunjenosti zakonskih uslova za istu, sto jednostavno može dovesti do zloupotreba prava.
Rješenje o odredjivanju privremene mjere ima snagu rješenja o izvršenju u slučajevima propisanim zakonom, i to :
1. kada se radi obezbjedjenja nov anog potraživanja odredi jedna od slede ih privremenih mjera: zabrana protivniku obezbjeđenja da raspolaže pokretnim stvarima, kao i čuvanje tih stvari; zabrana otudjenja i opterećenja akcija ili udjela u privrednom društvu, uz upis zabrane u odgovarajuću evidenciju; zabrana protivniku obezbjedjenja da otudji ili optereti svoje nepokretnosti ili stvarna prava koja su na nepokretnosti upisana u katastar nepokretnosti u njegovu korist, uz upis te zabrane u katastar nepokretnosti; nalog banci da protivniku obezbjedjenja ili trećem licu, po nalogu protivnika obezbjedjenja, uskrati sa računa protivnika obezbjedjenja isplatu novčanog iznosa za koji je odredjena privremena mjera;
2. kada se radi obezbjedjenja nenovčanog potraživanja odredi jedna od sledecih privremenih mjera: zabrana otudjenja i opterećenja pokretnih stvari na koje je upravljeno potraživanje, kao i čuvanje tih stvari; zabrana otudjenja i opterećenja akcija ili udjela u privrednom društvu na koje je upravljeno potraživanje, uz upis zabrane u javne evidencije; zabrana otudjenja i opterećenja nepokretnosti na koju je upravljeno potraživanje, uz upis zabrane u katastar nepokretnosti.
Naime, u naprijed navedenim slu ajevima, donošenjem odluke o odredjivanju privremene mjere, smatra se da je izvršenje dozvoljeno, i nije potrebno posebno zahtjevati izvršenje.
U rješenju kojim se odredjuje privremena mjera odrediće se vrijeme trajanja te mjere, a ako je mjera odredjena prije podnošenja tužbe ili pokretanja drugog postupka, odrediće se i rok u kojem predlagač obezbjedjenja mora podnijeti tužbu, odnosno predlog za pokretanje drugog postupka radi opravdanja privremene mjere.
Važno je napomenuti da e sud na predlog dužnika, obustaviti postupak i ukinuti sporovedene radnje ukoliko povjerilac nije podnio tužbu radi opravdanja privremene mjere ili ukoliko je vrijeme na koje je odredjena privremena mjera isteklo.
Jelena Vujisic ... jelena.vujisic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Ferbruar 2012
Kompenzacija – nužno ili praktično sredstvo?
Naplate potraživanja i rastuća nelikvidnost postaju sve prisutniji problem. Kako bi obezbijedili sredstva za redovno poslovanje, sve više privrednih subjekata pribjegava alternativnim načinima naplate dugova, među kojima je najzastupljenija kompenzacija.
Kompenzacija zamjenjuje dvije isplate, jer obje strane dobijaju ono što potražuju jedna od druge, a da pri tom ne ulažu napore i ne preduzimaju ni jednu od realnih radnji koje podrazumijeva efektivna isplata. Osim toga, prebijanjem se izbjegava rizik da jedna strana ispuni svoju obavezu a da zatim ne bude u mogućnosti da od druge strane naplati svoje potraživanje, i to najčešće zbog insolventnosti druge strane koja u međuvremenu nastupi ili pak usled zastarjelosti potraživanja.
Da bi se ostvarila kompenzacija neophodno je da potrazivanja budu uzajamna, da su istorodna, dospjela i utuživa. Prebijanje se ne moze izvršiti ukoliko su zainteresovane strane, imajući u vidu princip slobode ugovaranja, tu mogućnost svojom voljom isključile, kao ni u slučajevima koji su Zakonom izričito utvrđeni.
Do gašenja obaveza prebijanjem može doći voljom zainteresovanih strana, po sili zakona, i odlukom suda.
Ugovorna kompenzacija
Obzirom da su ugovorne strane slobodne u zaključivanju i uređivanju svojih međusobnih odnosa, to se dakle mogu sporazumjeti i o gašenju, tj. prebijanju svojih međusobnih potraživanja. Nastaje dobrovoljno pa u pogledu nje nema ograničenja koji se tiču uslova istorodnosti I dospjelosti koja postoje kod drugih oblika kompenzacije. Tako se može ugovoriti i robna kompenzacija, gdje povjerilac svoje potraživanje naplaćuje u robi, odnosno uzimanjem određene stvari. Mnoga privredna društva na taj način dugoročno sarađuju, međutim sve su češće kompenzacije koje uključuju robu problematičnog plasmana. Dužnik da ima mogućnosti i sam bi je prodao i tako isplatio dug, pa se javlja dilema da li je bolje uzeti takvu robu ili čekati u nedogled na isplatu I strahovati od bankrota dužnika. Obzirom da se za kompenzacije najčešće odlučuju građevinske firme koje po prirodi stvari imaju velik broj dobavljača i potraživanja, posebno je zanimljiva situacija kada investitor za izvođenje radova građevinskoj firmi obaveze plaća kompenzacijom (kvadratima stambeno poslovnog prostora). U tom slučaju postavlja se pitanje kakve su poreske obaveze pri takvom transferu, odnosno ko je poreski obveznik? Da li se plaća PDV (17 %) ili porez na promet nepokretnosti (3%)? Dodatno, ako se radi o inostranoj firmi, prema kojoj državi nastaje obaveza plaćanja poreza, te da li će doći do dvostrukog oporezivanja? Ne manje važna stvar je kako knjigovodstveno sprovesti takvu kompenzaciju, a stvar se može dodatno zakomplikovati ukoliko Notar ne prihvati zaključivanje i ovjeru takvog ugovora, imajući u vidu dokaz o izvršenom plaćanju.
Iako je kompenzacija dostupna i zakonom dozvoljena svim fizičkim i pravnim subjektima, primjetno je da javni sektor nema značajniji broj plaćanja izvršenih na ovaj način. Objašnjenje se može tražiti u tome što društva iza kojih stoji država kao vlasnik uglavnom imaju monopolistički položaj na tržištu. Osim toga, država za svoje redovno funkcionisanje treba gotov novac pa radije koristi mehanizme prinudne naplate svojih potraživanja.
Zakonska kompenzacija
U situaciji opšta nelikvidnosti privrede, država može posebnim zakonom propisati obavezu kompenzacije za sve privredne subjekte, koja ima ograničeno vrijeme primjene i koja je po svojoj prirodi multilaterarna. Karakteristično je da se ona sprovodi ispunjenjem uslova, po automatizmu, čak i protivno volji stranaka. Ovaj vid kompenzacije ima svoje brojne nedostatke, pa je rijetka njena primjena.
Zakon o obligacionim odnosima pod zakonskom kompenzacijom podrazumijeva mogućnost dužnika da prebije potraživanje koje ima prema povjeriocu sa onim što ovaj potražuje od njega, ako su oba potraživanja dospjela i ako glase na novac ili druge zamjenljive stvari istog roda i kakvoće. Osim ispunjenja navedenih uslova tek davanjem izjave jedne strane drugoj da vrši prebijanje, smatraće se da je prebijanje nastalo i to od momenta kada su se ispunili uslovi za to.
Sudska kompenzacija
Do ove vrste kompenzacije dolazi na osnovu odlike suda, na osnovu kopenzacionog prigovora ili na osnovu kompezacione protivtužbe uloženih od strane tuženog. Nakon utvrđenja osnovanosti prigovora odnosno protivtužbe, sud donosi odluku kojom vrši prebijanje, s tim da ako se pokaže da prebijanjem nije u cjelosti prestalo da postoji potraživanje istaknuto bilo u tužbi bilo u protivtužbi, ostatak će presudom dosuditi stranci čije je potraživanje veće. Kompenzacija dovodi do gašenja, odnosno prestanka međusobnih obaveza. Ukoliko se radi o jednakim potraživanjima, što je vrlo rijedak slučaj, oba će prestati da postoje, dok se u slučaju nejednakih obaveza manja gasi u cjelosti a veća do visine manje. Potraživanja se smatraju naplaćenim i dio su ostvareniog prihoda pravnog subjekta. Obzirom da kompenzacije nisu dugoročno održivo rješenje, vjerovatno će vremenom gubiti na značaju, a do tad pravni subjekti i nemaju baš puno izbora u vezi njene primjene u svakodnevnom poslovanju.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
January 2012
MOST IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS TO THE LABOUR LAW IN MONTENEGRO
At the end of 2011 labor legislation in Montenegro was changed with amendments to the Labor Law of Montenegro from 2008. As per information and data received from the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare in Montenegro, implementation of the changes in the law was a need for further adjustment of the existing provisions with certain ILO Conventions, amended European Social Charter and with a number of EU Directives.
The most important novelties in the Labor Law are:
- The new provisions addresses the problem of bullying ('mobbing') of employees during the work;
- Provisions related to the length of work contract for definite time are specified, however, the work is limited to two years with a possibility of a longer period of limited time employment in case of substitute for an absent employee or during the work on a specific project;
- Although at one time was off, with this Law in the practice was returned institution of taking over of the employees;
- Duration of annual leave is increased;
- A rule is introduced that employment is based on permanent basis;
- Provisions on protection of the employees who report the existence of corruption are introduced;
- The institute of parental leave is introduced and provisions on maternity leave are more specified in terms of equalization of rights to parental or maternity leave for both parents;
- Provisions on wages and minimum wage are specified;
- Provisions on cancellation of work contract and termination of employment according to the force of law are improved and simplified;
- A new institute is introduced – assignment of employees by the Agency of temporary work;
- Provisions on additional work are improved and made more flexible;
- Provisions on collective agreements are revised and made clearer for its application in practice;
- Contract on performance is abolished and legal and technical improvements of certain provisions are performed in order for them to be more applicable in practice;
- New institute and manner for termination of the labor relations, proposing to simplify procedures in dismissals of employees. So the employer may terminate the contract if there are reasonable grounds related to the non-fulfillment of performance, for a period not less than 30 days; disregard of obligations provided by the law, collective agreement or employment contract, which must comply with the law and collective agreement, or if his behavior is such that it cannot continue work with the employer, if he refuses to sign an annex to the offered contract, as well as economic, and technological or restructuring changes as a result of which is no longer needed for its operations.
It is important to point that not all of the latest changes received the same degree of approval, and some of them even met with strong criticism. Whether these changes provide the better protection of employers or employees, faster development of the market economy and adjustment with the directives of the European Union, remains to be seen in future period and practise.
Radmila Radoicic, Attorney at Law ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Decembar 2011
DOBROVOLJNA LIKVIDACIJA PRIVREDNOG DRUŠTVA
U vremenu kada se govori o ekonomskoj krizi, lošem poslovanju privrednih društava, gubicima i stečaju, nezaobilazan je i pojam likvidacije društava. U vezi sa tim, Zakon o privrednim društvima (Sl. list RCG, br. 006/02-1. i Sl. list CG, br. 017/07-1. 080/08-20. 040/10-5. 073/10-11. 036/11-78. 040/11-12) omogućava gašenje, odnosno prestanak postojanja društva i kroz postupak dobrovoljne likvidacije. Riječ je o postupku u kojem se preduzima niz mjera koje dovode do prestanka privrednog društva koje ima dovoljno finansijskih sredstava da pokrije svoje obaveze. Dakle, uslovi za sprovodjenje postupka likvidacije su ispunjeni samo onda ako je privredno društvo finansijski sposobno za isplatu svih dugovanih potraživanja. Ukoliko se iz imovine društva čija se likvidacija predlaže ne mogu u cjelini izmiriti svi povjerioci koji su prijavili svoja potraživanja, tada su ispunjeni uslovi za otvaranje postupka stečaja, koji se sprovodi na osnovu Zakona o stečaju.
Dakle, osnovna razlika između stečaja i dobrovoljne likvidacije:
STEČAJ:
1. vrsta postupka: posebna vrsta vanparničnog sudskog postupka
2. svrha: skupno namirenje povjerilaca iz imovine društva
3. razlozi za pokretanje: insolventnost, prezaduženost i prijeteća nesposobnost za plaćanje
4. moguć je nastavak poslovanja poslije provedenog postupka.
LIKVIDACIJA:
1. vrsta postupka: nije sudski postupak nego postupak koji sprovodi privredno društvo
2. svrha: namirenje obaveza i podjela preostale imovine društva među članovima
3. razlozi za pokretanje: ako članovi društva odluče da društvo prestane da postoji na takav način
4. nemoguć je nastavak poslovanja poslije sprovedenog postupka.
Postupak dobrovoljne likvidacije moguće je sprovesti na dva načina. Jedan je “redovni”, gdje je potrebno preduzeti niz zakonom predviđenih radnji što čini da postupak traje duže u odnosu na drugi - skraćeni postupak, gdje je procedura jednostavnija i brža, ali sa druge strane i odgovornost osnivača nakon brisanja društva iz Registra je drugačije uređena.
Likvidacioni postupak se sprovodi na osnovu odluke privrednog društva, koju u zavisnosti od vrste privrednog društva donose osnivači, odnosno skupština akcionarskog društva. Odluka o likvidaciji se dostavlja Centralnom registru Privrednog suda (CRPS), kao i ”Službenom listu CG”, radi objavljivanja. Društvo u pisanoj formi poziva sve poznate povjerioce da prijave svoja potraživanja, uz obavezno navođenje roka u kome se prijavljuju potraživanja povjerilaca. Ukoliko likvidator ospori prijavljeno potraživanje, povjerilac je dužan da nakon prijema obavještenja likvidatora da osporava potraživanje, pokrene postupak pred nadležnim sudom. U tom slučaju postupak likvidacije neće se okončati do okončanja spora pred sudom, osim ako se da odgovarajuće obezbjeđenje tog potraživanja.
Postupak likvidacije sprovodi likvidator. Za likvidatora može biti imenovano lice odnosno lica koja su upravljala poslovanjem društva i prije likvidacije (izvršni direktor) ili lice odnosno lica koje imenuje društvo, tj. skupština privrednog društva. Likvidator zastupa privredno društvo u likvidaciji i odgovoran je za vođenje poslova društva, ali ne odgovara za dugove društva. Sadržina i obim njegovih ovlašćenja se ne može izmijeniti jer su ista uređena imperativnim normama. U tom smislu, on završava tekuće poslovanje društva, naplaćuje potraživanja, izmiruje obaveze, prodaje imovinu društva. Likvidator odgovara članovima, akcionarima i povjeriocima privrednog društva za štetu koju im prouzrokuje u izvršenju svojih dužnosti. Međutim, on ne odgovara ako je šteta nastala kao rezultat donošenja savjesnih i razumnih poslovnih odluka, u vezi sa sprovođenjem postupka likvidacije. Ako je više likvidatora, njihova odgovornost za istu štetu je solidarna.
Privredno društvo u likvidaciji ne može preduzimati nove poslove, već samo poslove vezane za sprovodenje likvidacionog postupka kao što su prodaja imovine, plaćanje povjerilaca, naplata potraživanja i druge poslove nužne za likvidaciju društva, a raspolaganje imovinom ili zaduživanje privrednog društva bez odobrenja likvidatora ne proizvodi pravno dejstvo. Otvaranjem postupka likvidacije po sili zakona nastupa prekid parničnog postupka u svim parnicama gdje se kao stranka pojavljuje privredno društvo nad kojim je otvoren likvidacioni postupak.
Nakon što likvidator u potpunosti ili u značajnoj mjeri namiri potraživanja povjerilaca, priprema konačni izvještaj koji zatim skupština akcionara, odnosno osnivači društva usvajaju. Obavještenje o brisanju objavljuje se u “Službenom listu CG”. Za eventualne neizmirene obaveze društva u likvidaciji članovi akcionarskog, odnosno društva sa ograničenom odgovornošću, odgovaraće solidarno, do visine primljenog iznosa iz likvidacione mase.
Skraćeni postupak likvidacije
Dobrovoljna likvidacija može se sprovesti i po skraćenom postupku. Ovakav način likvidacije moguć je samo ako osnivači, odnosno svi akcionari nakon donošenja odluke o dobrovoljnoj likvidaciji daju na sudu ovjerene izjave da su izmirene sve obaveze društva prema povjeriocima i za obaveze društva odgovaraju neograničeno solidarno tri godine nakon brisanja društva iz CRPS. Povjerioci i druga lica koja za to imaju pravni interes imaju pravo pokretanje spora pred sudom za poništaj odluke o prestanku društva po skraćenom postupku. Ukoliko sud poništi ovu odluku, imenovaće likvidatora koji će sprovesti postupak dobrovoljne likvidacije po opštim pravilima.
Dakle, zbog jednostavnosti navedenog postupka i posljedica koje mogu imati eventualni povjerioci privrednog društva likvidiranog po skraćenom postupku, zakonodavac kao imperativ za sporovođenje takve vrste likvidacije predviđa garanciju eventualnih povjerilaca u vidu neograničene solidarnu odgovornosti fizičkih lica.
Po okončanju likvidacije privredno društvo prestaje da postoji i briše iz CRPS uz upisivanje ličnih imena, odnosno naziva akcionara i naznačenjem njihove neograničene solidarne odgovornosti u trajanju od tri godine od brisanja društva iz CRPS-a.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
November 2011
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION - SUPERVISION
The right to protection of personal data is an important part of the right to privacy, which is one of the fundamental human rights. Development of science and technology, particularly the development of modern communications, together with implementation of new information systems and the creation of databases in all areas, with no doubt beneficial effects, create the conditions for new forms of violation of rights of privacy and misuse of personal data.
The real legislative framework for the protection of personal data existed since the Assembly of Montenegro on December 22nd 2008, adopted Law on Personal Data Protection (“Official Journal of Montenegro”, no 79/08). For performing duties of the supervisory, the Agency for Personal Data Protection was established by this law.
In performing activities from its competence the Agency is independent and autonomous. Supervision is conducted over the authorized persons (hereinafter –Inspectors).
Apart from ex officio inspections, the supervision could be conducted according to request for protection of the rights. So, anyone who believes that his rights in regard of collecting personal data are violated may submit a request for protection of rights to the supervisory body. The inspector is obliged to conduct the procedure according the Law.
It is important to stress that the Inspector has a right to control the personal data contained in personal databases, irrespective of the fact whether the records on such databases are kept in hard copy or in electronic form. Also, inspector has a right of access to the personal data irrespective of the degree of the data secrecy. Personal database controller, user or the data processor are obliged to enable such access to databases.
However, the Agency is authorized to bring a decision by which: it shell order elimination of the irregularities of personal data procession within certain term; or it shell temporary forbid personal data procession which is carried out opposite to this law; or it shell order deleting of personal data collected without legal ground etc.
Depending of the Agency decision, the Inspector could take further actions according the Law, as it is checking execution of decision etc. In any case, violation of Law or misuse of personal data must be removed.
According to the inspection plan, the Agency has performed many inspections in supervising process over entities within the public sector of the State, local governments, companies and businesses in the Montenegro. Activities of the Agency, except supervisory, have preventive or educational character, which implies a sort of familiarization with the obligations and responsibilities arising from the Law on Protection Personal Data.
After all, implementation of Law on Personal Data Protection is very important from the point of continuing European integration, respect for democratic standards and human rights and the creation of an open and transparent society. In regard of the importance of data protection is the fact that the Council of Europe proclaimed January 28th as Data Protection Day.
Dragan Corac ... dragan.corac@lawoffice-vujacic.com
October 2011
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION
Today in postindustrial society with the fantastic development of information technology and era of social networking sites, personal data are accessible than ever. It is very easy to get to the personal data of our friends, neighbors, relatives, their friends, even of people whose we do not know or we barely know.
For example:
- Have you ever happened that during entering to the particular state body you been caused by retention of personal documents?
- Have you ever had to copy personal documents and to leave the one in evidence of these institutions during the some administrative proceedings before state authority?
- Have you ever had to give your personal information regarding your marital status, residence or your contact information during the filling of the promotional materials and surveys of different trade and catering companies, and that you were not informed that such data you are not required to give?
- Do you ever have to leave a copy of identification documents to the bank during the loan procedure or providing guarantees for someone, or that consequently one day you find out that you have a loan that you have never concluded and that suddenly you owe to the bank a big amount of money?
- If you ever ask these bodies and institutions for which purpose they photocopied your identification card, if these copies were destroyed afterwards or still somewhere data are stored and why?
If your answer to any of these questions is affirmative, please note that your right to protection of personal data was violated!!!
Protection of personal data is one of the challenges, on which Montenegro must address on, i.e. its harmonization of regulations concerning with the relevant EU regulation. Personal data protection is one of the basic and fundamental human right to privacy, guaranteed by the international and constitution of Montenegro. To achieve this, the Government of Montenegro has adopted the Law on Personal Data Protection (Official Gazette No. 79/08 and 70/09), as well as the Personal Data Protection Strategy and the corresponding Action Plan. The important condition for implementation of the Law on Protection of Personal Data will be the formation of an independent authority for personal data protection. The full independence of this authority must be ensured, because it must have the power to supervise everyone, including the state institutions, police, judiciary, primarily health care institutions, etc. This independent authority also must have the power to implement such supervision and some people should be hired to work in the Independent Supervisory institution.
While this sounds encouraging, it is necessary to mention that the records of the number of databases of personal data in Montenegro still does not exist. The Agency for Personal Data Protection still does not have a collection of databases...
Although, in these days we see the big numbers violations of the Protection of Personal Data Law by individuals who ignore the Law or by the government bodies and political parties who taking advantage of easy accessibility of these data, abusing the ones for different purposes that they want to achieve.
So far, it is not submitted a request for initiating criminal proceedings or criminal charges for violation of these regulations. Even the law is strict and precise, covering everything from the seemingly banal situations until serious violations, the citizens as well as those in whose possession the base are, ignore the Law on Personal Data Protection.
There are many ways to misuse someone's personal information, especially when it comes to information on marital status, someone's bank account, password on bank accounts and credit cards, diseases, sexual orientation, for which a person can become a victim of blackmail or just that this data can be abused by any officer from state bodies, medical sister or the person who has a video surveillance footage. As during all of these, our private life slowly is becoming the public live, the protection of personal data and using of the law is very important today. So, we hope that the development of our country will contribute the higher level of personal data protection as well as raising public awareness about their rights regarding the protection.
Radmila Radoicic, Attorney at Law ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
September 2011
AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW ON STATE SURVEYING AND CADASTRE OF IMMOVABLE PROPERTY
The Law on state surveying and cadastre of immovable property (“Official Gazette of Republic of Montenegro”, no. 29/07, and “Official Gazette of Montenegro”, no.32/11) has been amended in July 2011, as one of the number of laws that have been recently amended or adopted by competent Montenegrin authorities.
This Law regulates the state survey, cadastre and registration of rights, land lines, the main state map and topographic map, survey of the state border, the National Infrastructure Geospatial data, geodetic works in engineering and technical fields and other issues of importance to the state surveying and cadastre.
The changes that might be of interest to the general public concerning changes primarily related to the registration of rights and procedures in the cadastre records. Speaking from that point of view, It is necessary to note that two new basic principles were introduced into the text of the Law, as follows: principle of compulsory and the principle of concreteness. Therefore, beside of this two newly introduced principles other basic principles on which basis this law relies, are: principle of registration; principle of transparency; principle of reliability; principle of legality; principle of priority; as well as principle of the procedure formality.
Principle of compulsory could be defined in such a way that holder of immovable property rights shall apply for registration of property rights and other rights to real estate enrolling in the real estate. While, the principle of concreteness has meaning that the content of each entry in the real estate must be fully specified in terms of real estate on which the registration relates, the type of registration, rights and other evidence to be entered, as well as in the terms of the title holder, the order of priority registration and the documents on which the entry is made.
The principle of compulsory is important due to the fact that is evident the law tendency to regulate submission of the application for immovable property rights registration as obligation of holder of rights.
Therefore, It is important to emphasize that the application for registration of title to real property, the person is required to submit within one year from the date of acquisition of immovable property, meaning from the contract or occurrence of the other legal basis for the acquisition of the property rights.
Moreover, the Law provides even the penalties/fines If the application for registration of title to real property is not submitted in the course of the required period/date, and amounts of money that has to be paid as penalty for this failure are vary depending whether is legal entity or physical person is title holder.
Beside of the previously mentioned It is also considerably to note the changes concerning deadlines/periods of time in which authority competent for immovable property has to decide, and those deadlines/periods of time are shorter than before.
Therefore, on the requests for the real estate entry/registration shall be decided on an expedited basis, in the following cases: On the basis of legally binding and enforceable decision of the court; by law; based on registration notes in the cadastre of real estate. The administration authority shall at the request referred to three previously mentioned circumstances decide no later than 8 days from the day of the receipt of request.
Additionally, It is stated that application for registration of rights and facts in the real estate shall be adopted by decision allowing registration, if:
- according to the cadastre evidences there are no obstacles for registration;
- the request complies with the contents of the submitted documents;
- Document with its type, form, and content meets the requirements for registration of rights.
The administrative authority is obliged to the previous request to decide within 15 days of the receipt of request.
Beside of the mentioned changes, of the importance could be also to note new amendments related to the part concerning Recordation (Registration notes).
Recordation (Registration note) shall mean entry (registration) of certain legal facts that can produce legal effects under the conditions prescribed by law. If Law, in case of certain types of recordation (registration note), does not regulate its legal affects, the Recordation (Registration note) shall have the legal effect of public notice, which is registered.
It is interesting to mention that pursuant to the new law amendments the number of defined and described recordation/registration notes is increased.
Therefore, by the Law it is regulated that Recordation (Registration note) shall be used to record facts relating to the owner of immovable property (the underage, guardianship, depriving of the business capacity) or to the immovable property itself ( initiating a lawsuit for determining rights on immovable properties, or for deletion of registration; initiation of expropriation procedure; existence of the prohibition to divest of and encumber immovable property; initiation of enforcement procedure on immovable property in cases prescribed by law regulating enforcement procedure; fiduciary transfer of ownership right; order of priority for a future registration; registration of immediate enforceability notary; recordation of bankruptcy and opening of bankruptcy procedure; recordation of joint ownership on inherited property; recordation of public good, recordation of restitution; recordation of appointment and revocation of the manager of the residential building; recordation of the building under construction; recordation of the facility commenced without the building license; recordation of the building constructed without a building license etc).
Special attention has been provided to further determination of the some of the types of registration notes.
It is also important to note that amendments provided also obligation for the cadastre administrative authority to submit ex officio the decision on registration of rights to state authority responsible for taxes and to local authority responsible for taxes.
It will be significant whether and how the cadastre administrative authority will implement some of the new amendments to the Law, especially amendments concerning the necessity for the holders of rights to submit the request for registration of the acquired rights in the period of one year from acquirement of that rights, as well as implementation of the provisions on penalties for the failure of such a submission due to the time prescribed by the law.
Milorad Janjevic ... milorad.janjevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Jul 2011
REFORMA PREKRŠAJNOG SISTEMA U CRNOJ GORI
Uzimajući u obzir da dosadašnji prekršajni sistem nije bio u skladu sa zahtjevima Evropske konvencije o ljudskim pravima, pristupilo se reformi istog, koju je pratilo donošenje Strategije za reformu prekršajnog sistema u Crnoj Gori, čija realizacija je rezultirala donošenjem novog Zakona o prekršajima, koji uspostavlja nov i efikasan postupak za procesuiranje prekršajnih predmeta u skladu sa pomenutom Konvencijom.
Naime, Skupština Crne Gore je na sedmoj sjednici drugog redovnog zasijedanja u 2010. godini, dana 22. decembra 2010. godine, usvojila novi Zakon o prekršajima, objavljen u Službenom listu broj 01/11, koji će se primjenjivati počev od 1. septembra 2011. godine.
Donošenjem novog Zakona o preršajima kao sistemskog zakona, neophodno je izvršiti uskladjivanje čitavog sistema zakona i podzakonskih akata sa istim, u kom pravcu su već preduzete odredjene radnje sa strane nadležnih organa. Ovo posebno imajući u vidu činjenicu da dosadašnja zakonska rješenja ukazuju na prenormiranost prekršaja koji upravo utiču ne neefikasnost prekršajnog sistema.
Takodje, donošenjem novog Zakona o prekršajima ujedno se postojeći sistem usaglašava sa Ustavom Crne Gore, koji propisuje da niko ne može biti kažnjen za djelo koje prije nego što je učinjeno nije zakonom bilo propisano kao kažnjivo djelo, što dalje znači da se prekršaji više ne mogu propisivati podzakonskim aktima, tj. uredbama i odlukama lokalne samouprave, kako je to bilo prema važećem Zakonu o prekršajima.
Pored uskladjivanja zakonske regulative, neophodno je izvršiti obuke kako sudija tako i ostalih službenika koji će primjenjivati novi Zakon o prekršajima, te je za očekivati da su takve obuke već u toku i da se privode kraju uzimajući u obzir približavanje početka primjene ovog zakona.
Posebno želimo ukazati na brojne novine koje ovaj zakon donosi, koje se ogledaju u sledećem :
U odnosu na ranija zakonska rješenja, isključena je odgovornost državnih organa, organa lokalne samouprave i organa uprave, dok je predviđena samostalna odgovornost odgovornog lica u tim organima;
Jedna od najznačajanijih novina jeste uvođenje novih sankcija kao što je rad u javnom interesu, ali i uvođenje izričite odredbe da se prekršajni postupak ne može voditi protiv lica koja uživaju diplomatski imunitet;
U pogledu donošenja odluka u prekršajnom postupku, uvedena je nova vrsta odluke – prekršajni nalog, koju izdaju organi uprave i drugi organi određeni ovim zakonom, čijim uvodjenjem se otvara mogućnost da se veliki broj predmeta rješava efikasnije i izvan suda;
Prekršajni postupak je pojednostavljen, i težiće se okončanju pretresa na jednom ročištu;
Definisan je novi način dostavljanja pismena;
Novina ovog zakona je i Sporazum o prihvatanju odgovornosti i sankcije izmedju ovlašćenog organa i okrivljenog kojim se pojednostavljuje i ubrzava prekršajni postupak;
U odnosu na raniji zakon gdje je samo okrivljeni mogao podnijeti zahtjev za povraćaj u pređašnje stanje, zbog propuštanja roka za izjavljivanje žalbe iz opravdanih razloga, novim zakonskim rješenjem je podnošenje zahtjeva za povraćaj u pređašnje stanje omogućeno okrivljenom i ovlašćenom podnosiocu zahtjeva za pokretanje prekršajnog postupka zbog propuštanja pristupanja na pretresu;
Stvarna nadležnost za odlučivanje u prekršajnim predmetima prenosi se na sudove;
Jedna od najznačajnih novina je uvođenje Registra novčanih kazni koji predstavlja elektronsku bazu podataka u koju se unose podaci o svim izrečenim kaznama za prekršaje i troškovima postupka, koji ostaju kao dug u bazi podataka dok kažnjeni ne plati puni iznos novčane kazne i troškova postupka, a najduže četiri godine.
Novčane kazne se mogu izvršiti: pasivnim izvršenjem preko Registra novčanih kazni, prinudnom naplatom i zamjenom novčane kazne kaznom zatvora. Medjutim novčana kazna se ne zamjenjuje odmah kaznom zatvora već tek nakon proteka tri godine, u slučaju da ni prinudnim putem ne može da se naplati novčana kazna;
Kao sankcija predvidjen je rad u javnom interesu, uslovna osuda koja se može izreći umjesto kazne zatvora, propisane su i zaštitne mjere;
Što se tiče redovnih pravnih lijekova novina je zakonsko određenje da kada je prvostepena odluka jednom ukinuta, drugostepeni sud će na sjednici vijeća ili nakon održanog pretresa sam donijeti odluku, što znači da ne može više puta biti ukidana prvostepena odluka;
Stvarna nadležnost u skladu sa ovim zakonom povjerena je sudovima, dok će u prelaznom periodu stvarno nadležni za prekršaje biti područni organi i Vijeće za prekršaje;
Početak primjene novog Zakona o prekršajima, rezultiraće donošenjem propratnih podzakonskih akta, koji će pojednostaviti primjenu ovog zakona, a koja podzakonska akta bi se trebala donijeti u roku od 30 dana od dana početka primjene pomenutog Zakona o prekršajima, što takodje ukazuje da sa danom početka primjene ovog Zakona neće biti pripremljena cjelokupna propratna legislativa, što može donekle i otežati primjenu novog zakona.
Medjutim i pored naprijed navedenog, posmatrajući sa različitih stanovišta, treba imati u vidu da je ovakvo zakonsko rješenje naprednije i bolje od zakonskog riješenja koje je bilo do sada u primjeni i da će isto donijeti pozitivne rezultate u oblasti prekršajnog sistema Crne Gore.
Jelena Vujisic ... jelena.vujisic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
June 2011
OPERATING INTERNET GAMING OR OTHER TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES IN MONTENEGRO
By increasing of the use of the Internet, there has been an emergence of on line betting as a form of Operating Internet gaming or other telecommunication devices. In order to control this form of betting, the Law on Games of Chance prescribes, who has governed the right to use this way of betting and the rights and obligations, which users of these services have in connections to the Government.
In accordance to Law of the games of chances in force in Montenegro Operating Internet gaming or other telecommunication devices shall only be allowed to companies licensed for operating games of chance. Companies shall connect their IT system for internet gaming to the IT system of State administration authority competent for games of chance and provide it with access to data and system notes at any time. The Minister of Finance shall provide detailed regulations of games, supervision, scope of operating of Internet gaming and other telecommunication devices.
Also, for games stated above shall be fixed concession fee in the amount of € 10,000 per month, paid by 15 of the month to month.
Games of chance, according to Law of the games of chances in force in Montenegro, are not considered gaming on computers, simulators, video machines, pinball machines and other similar devices, which are set in motion with the help of money or tokens, as well as darts, billiards and other similar games, in which involved a fee, in which participants can achieve gains in cash, goods, services or rights, but the right to one or more free spins of the same species.
However, it is necessary to point out that the Goverment shall keep discretion right whether certain companies can get this license.
Mirjana Nikcevic ... mirjana.nikcevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Maj 2011
JEDNOŠALTERSKI SISTEM
Aktivnostima Savjeta za regulatornu reformu i unapređenje poslovnog ambijenta Crne Gore izvršeno je generisanje već postojećih rješenja i unaprijedjivanje istih na način što se dala mogućnost da se po principu One stop shop obavi kompletna procedura registracije privrednih društava uključujći i poresku registraciju, na koji način je znatno unapredjeno postojeće zakonsko rješenje i data pozitivna slika i prema preduzetnicima odnosno poslovnim ljudima koji imaju namjeru da započnu svoj biznis u Crnoj Gori ali i stranim investitorima koji inače očekuju da sve procedure vezano za registraciju privrednog društva budu jasne i jednostavne.
Naime, počev od 20.05.2011. godine, uvedene su proceduralne olakšice koje pružaju mogućnost registracije novih privrednih subjekata, da na jednom mjestu registruju kompaniju, prijave se za opštu poresku registraciju, dobiju PDV, akcizni i carinski broj. Takođe, ista olakšica važi i prilikom registracije promjena u privrednom društvu, koje se imaju registrovati kod Poreske uprave, Uprave carina, Komisije za hartije od vrijednosti.
Prilikom uvođenja jednošalterskog sistema predvidjen je optimalan rok u kome se može završiti registracija novih pravnih subjekata koji iznosi 4 (četiri) dana, što predstavlja najveću prednost ovog postupka. Međutim, početak implementacije ovog zakonskog rješenja, koje podrazumjeva pojednostavljenu proceduru registracije privednih društava, nakon mjesec dana njegove primjene u praksi pokazuje drugačije rezultate od planiranih, sa razloga što je dužina trajanja postupka ista kao i ranije možda i duža, što se može jednostavno uočiti ukoliko napravimo paralelu koliko je ranije bilo potrebno odvojiti vremena za registraciju, shodno čemu se izvodi zaključak da uvođenjem jednošalterskog sistema postupak registracije traje duže i do nedelju dana.
Potrebno je naglasiti da u prilog svemu naprijed rečenom ide činjenica da postoji neusaglašenost u razmjeni i protoku podataka između Centralnog registra Privrednog suda, Poreske uprave, Uprave carina i Komisije za hartije od vrijednosati, što predstavlja jedan od glavnih razloga za produžavnje trajanje postupka.
Međutim, s obzirom na to da se radi o novoj praksi, mišljenja smo da će se u narednom periodu usaglasiti radovi nadležnih organa, te korigovati sadašnji nedostaci, a sve u cilju realizovanja projekta kako je to i najavljeno i prezentovano.
KLASIFIKACIJA DJELATNOSTI
Donošenjem novog Zakona o klasifikaciji djelatnosti, koji je stupio na snagu dana 01.04.2011. godine (Sl. List CG 18/11), počinje se sa primjenom novih šifri djelatnosti.
Uvođenjem nove klasifikacije svi privredni subjekti su u obavezi da usklade svoje Statute, tj. izvrše promjenu istih u dijelu šifri djelatnosti društva, i takvu izmjenu registruju kod Centralnog registra Privrednog suda.
Ukazujemo da iako nije preciziran tačan rok u kome je potrebno izvršiti uskladjivanje Statuta sa navednom zakonskom izmjenom, preporuka je se isto procesuira u što kraćem roku, kako bi se izbjegle eventualno negativne posledice kao što su netačni podaci prilikom izdavanja duplikata Rješenja o registraciji ili Izvoda o status društava.
Mirjana Nikcevic ... mirjana.nikcevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
April 2011
COURT SETTLEMENT
There is a strong tendency for stimulation of participants in dispute to resolve court disputes peacefully, i.e. its most frequent form – conclusion of court settlement, for the need of practice and in order to avoid and reduce numerous irrational disputes in the procedural law and practice of our courts in the last few years.
Law on Civil Proceedings prescribes that parties can conclude, in the course of the entire proceeding before the civil court of first instance, the settlement on the subject-matter of dispute which refers to the whole claim or to a part thereof. Settlement can be concluded until the legally effective termination of the procedure, at or outside the hearing, before the court of first instance or before the court of second instance. As for its form, settlement is strictly formal legal work which is considered to be concluded when the parties have read it and signed the court records. Also, the court is authorized to reject court settlement if that settlement is contrary to jus cogens, public policy, and moral. What is especially important for this legal institute is that the court records of the Court Settlement is valid as executive act, final judgment, represents procedural obstacle for initiation of new litigation and it may only be contested by a complaint in a new lawsuit.
Numerosity and diversity of disputes which follow increasingly dynamic legal relations impose the need of more efficient and faster decision making in the proceedings. Thus, the need for more active role of the court in assistance to the parties regarding finding common solution and pointing out to advantages of this form of peaceful dispute resolving has been created. We emphasize that the role of judges must be perceived solely as “actively neutral”, that is to provide the possibility for parties to declare themselves, make their suggestions, and highlight their requests…
The right to fast and efficient court protection is in the corpus of human rights in the European Convention on Human Rights. It is, inter alia, one of the reasons for seeking the ways for more efficient resolving of disputes, since the Council of Europe member states pay high amounts on behalf of claims due to unjustifiably long conduct of proceeding.
There are traditional differences in the practice of certain countries in implementation of peaceful dispute resolving, as well as of its most frequent form – court settlement. To the different extent the accent is put on the intermediary role of the court, but also on endeavors to stimulate participants in legal relation to find negotiated solutions by themselves or through representative or mediator.
It is emphasized in our practice and legislative, that the settlement must be concluded as an expression of free will of the parties. It is incompatible with the reputation of the court, as well as with judiciary tasks when some judges, in order to facilitate their work, persistently incite parties to settlement and inadmissibly insist to reach the settlement.
How much of that is possible to implement in practice, for any actual case, depends not only on the nature of the dispute, since the court settlements have other implementations and results in commercial, labor and family disputes, but also on the knowledge and experiences of judges who aim at or mediate in reaching court settlement.
Radmila Radoicic, Attorney at Law ... radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
March 2011
THE MAIN NOTES RELATED TO THE REGISTRATION PROCEDURES IN THE CADASTRE OF IMMOVABLE PROPERTY
Cadastre of Immovable property shall mean single public record whereat immovable property and property rights on immovable property and obligation rights are registered in accordance with Law on state surveying and cadastre of immovable property (Official Gazette of Republic of the Montenegro, no. 29/07).The administration authority responsible for affairs of state surveying and cadastre shall perform administrative activities related to development of the cadastre of immovable property, registration of rights in the cadastre of immovable property and maintain of the cadastre of immovable property and development of the Main State Map and topographic maps.
The basic principles of the Cadastre of immovable property are: principle of registration; principle of transparency; principle of reliability; principle of legality; principle of priority; as well as principle of the procedure formality.
Pursuant to the principle of registration the rights on immovable property shall be acquired, transferred, limited and terminated as of the registration in the Cadastre of Immovable Property, unless otherwise is specified by Law.
Types of registration
According to the Law there are several types of registration, as: Full registration, Pre-registration and Recordation (Registration note).
Full registration shall mean entry (registration) by which rights on immovable property are acquired, transferred, limited or terminated without additional justification.
Pre-registration shall mean entry (registration) by which rights on immovable property are acquired, transferred, limited or terminated provided that they are additionally justified.
Recordation (Registration note) shall mean entry (registration) of certain legal facts that can produce legal effects under the conditions prescribed by law. If Law, in case of certain types of recordation (registration note), does not regulate its legal affects, the Recordation (Registration note) shall have the legal effect of public notice, which is registered.
Grounds for registration
Registration of rights shall be done on the basis of: Law; final decision of a competent authority; final and binding decision of the court; document of a legal transaction made in accordance with the Law.
Registration in the Cadastre of Immovable Property may be allowed only in relation to a person (or legal person) who is at the time of application for registration registered as a holder of rights that is required with registration, or in relation to a person that is registered as holder of rights at the same time with application.
Registration in the Cadastre of Immovable property shall be done on the basis of the documents prepared in the form prescribed for them to be valid, and which do not have obvious deficiencies that causes suspicion about their credibility. A document that represents ground for registration, change, limitation or termination of right on immovable property, must contain clear and unequivocal legal ground thereof.
Recordation (Registration note)
Recordation (Registration note) shall be used to record facts relating to the owner of immovable property (the underage, guardianship, depriving of the business capacity) or to the immovable property itself ( initiating a lawsuit for determining rights on immovable properties, or for deletion of registration; initiation of expropriation procedure; existence of the prohibition to divest of and encumber immovable property; initiation of enforcement procedure on immovable property in cases prescribed by law regulating enforcement procedure; fiduciary transfer of ownership right; order of priority for a future registration; recordation of bankruptcy and opening of bankruptcy procedure; recordation of joint ownership on inherited property; recordation of public good, etc).
The Administration authority shall allow recordation at the request of authorized person, court or another state authority.
Full registration
Full registration may be performed on the basis of the private documents, such as e.g. the sales contract or the contract of gift, or on the basis of the public documents such as e.g. decisions of the court or another competent authority; documents on legal transactions prepared by competent authority or notary within their competence or in the form of their validity, provided that they contain all elements necessary for full registration on the basis of private documents; Foreign documents which are considered as public documents in accordance with law in the place such documents are prepared.
Full registration for the benefit of a new holder shall not be allowed, if a previous holder of the rights is not designated, and a right of a new holder determined towards the previous holder in the document on the basis of which a full registration is performed.
Full registration on the basis of the private documents shall be allowed only if the signature on the private document is authenticated in accordance with law.
It is important to emphasize that private documents for full registration, should contain exact designation of the Immovable property and right requested by full registration and explicit statement (clausula intambulandi) of consent to full registration by a person whose right is limited, encumbered, terminated or transferred. The statement can be done in a separate document or in the registration request and it must meet all requirements for full registration. It is also important to note that documents for full registration, particularly private documents, as the sales contract or the contract of gift, should contain exact mark of the immovable property, especially mark named as “PD” of the immovable property (e.g. in case there are more apartments in the building), which mark is issued by the Cadastre as a formal evidence of each of the immovable property.
Registration procedure
Administration authority responsible for affairs of state surveying and cadastre shall perform registration in the Cadastre of Immovable property.
Registration procedure shall commence when a registration request is submitted to regional unit of the administration authority, at the place where the immovable property is located or when a document on the basis of which registration should be decided on ex officio is received to the administration authority.
The request for full registration or pre-registration may be submitted by a person that by virtue of the registration would acquire, change or lose the right on immovable property.
Registration of rights should be carried out at the request of parties, which is supported with documents adequate for registration attached to it.
Registration request should be submitted in written form, and should be received by administration authority regardless whether a document suitable for the registration is attached to it.
Documents representing the ground for allowing registration shall be submitted in original or in authenticated transcript.
Administration authority shall be obliged forthwith to make a decision upon the request and no later than within 30 days as of the day of the receipt of the request. However, by virtue of the large number of different requests that were submitted to the administration authorities, and due to lack of capacity and lack of preparation for the economic growth in the areas of construction and real estate that happen recently in Montenegro, in some of the regional units of the Cadastre administration authority the procedure could take more than it is prescribed by the Law.
Special attention should be also focused on the contents of the decisions of the Cadastre administrative authorities from the reason of existing of errors due to previously mentioned problem of overcrowding with a large number of cases.
Connected with previous statement against the decision of the administrative authority, an appeal may be lodged within eight days as of the day of receipt of decision. The appeal shall be submitted to the competent Ministry through the administration authority that adopted the first instance decision.
Milorad Janjevic ... milorad.janjevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
February 2011
PROCESS OF GAINING THE APPROVAL FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CONCENTRATION
Conditions for the creation of monopolistic market on the territory of Montenegro are being created according to transition from one state system to another, by the introduction of privatization procedure in almost all of the fields of the economy and with the introduction of a large number of foreign investments. In order to prevent the same, Montenegrin government adopted the Competition Law (Official Gazette no. 69/08, 37/07) (hereinafter the Law) which regulates the manner, procedure and measures of protection of competition in the market and determines competencies of authorities for protection of competition, and for this purpose establishes the competent authority Directorate for Protection of Competition of Montenegro.
Taking into account development of the modern market, which would monitor market competitiveness as an important factor in the development of democratic society, all the participants at the market, i.e. all the entities who are engaged in the economic activity and who participate in trade of goods or services and who carry out or may violate competition through their activities, are obliged to respect the provisions of the Competition Law by the legislator through the above mentioned Law.
According to the above said, participants in the market are required, as in the cases stipulated by the Law, to obtain an approval for implementation of the concentration from the competent authority of the Directorate for Protection of Competition, and in such manner a full control of the participants who could be a potential monopolists in the relevant market is performed.
Concentration of participants in the market is recognized by the Law in cases of: 1) forming of a new participant by joining two or more previously independent participants or their parts (joining), 2) when one or more natural persons who already control at least one participant in the market, or one or more participants in the market gain control over another participant in the market or his part, 3) establishing and joint control of the new participant by at least two independent participants, who acts on a lasting basis, and who has all the features of independent participant and market access (joint venture).
At the time of creation of legal basis of the concentration, the participant in the market is obliged to submit an Application for issuing an approval for implementation of the concentration to the competent Administration within 7 (seven) days. It should be stressed that in the Application itself it is necessary to specify, in addition to direct participants of the concentration, all the related participants, and to submit even 23 documents along with this, which are related to the direct participants and to related participants of the concentration. Taking into account short terms for the submission of Applications and the extensive documentation necessary to be prepared, according to our experience so far, we can conclude that the preparation of this documentation may take longer, which directly affects the duration of the procedure.
In addition to the above said it is important to note that all the documentation submitted must be submitted in original or verified copies, whereas the documents submitted by the foreign companies which appear as participants of the concentration, must be verified by a notary of their country, and translated into the official language in use in Montenegro, and those translations must be verified by an authorized court interpreter.
In order to facilitate the whole process of preparation of necessary documentation, it is necessary to cooperate with the competent Directorate in this area, especially regarding the part of explanations related to the necessary documentation and heaving deadlines for subsequent submission of that documentation.
With the aim of transparency of the procedure for approval of concentration, Directorate for Protection of Competition publishes data from the Application in the Official Gazette of Montenegro, namely: 1) names of participants in concentration, 2) nature of concentration, and 3) economic sector within which the concentration is performed. During the procedure, additional explanations regarding certain items of the Application may be required from the applicant. Additional explanations are in most cases related to the assessment of the relevant market, and with this reason it is recommended, when determining the relevant markets and the impact of the participant of the concentration on the market, to consult authorities responsible for monitoring the changes in such markets and if possible to use the data of competent authorities for starting points of their assessment, such as the Energy Regulatory Agency, Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices of Montenegro, Agency for Broadcasting, etc., and all depending on the industries in which the concentration is performed.
The competent authority, upon the application for approval of concentration can: 1) reject the application, 2) cancel the proceedings if the applicant withdraws the application, 3) approve the concentration when assessment of its effects does not prevent, restrict or disturb competition, in particular by creating or strengthening the dominant position in the market, 4) approve the concentration with prescribing, on its own initiative or upon the proposal of the participant, additional requirements and obligations which participants in the concentration must complete within set deadlines before or after implementation of the concentration, 5) refuse to issue the approval for implementation of the concentration when it is determined by the assessment of its effects that such concentration does not significantly prevent, restrict or disturb competition, in particular by creating or strengthening the dominant position in the market.
Since it is a relatively new legislation, which still does not have enough practice on the basis of which certain comparisons could be created, and on the basis of such it is not possible to establish certain standards that must be met, as well as possible precedents, we can emphasize that as the main parameter, which determines the scope of concentration, mostly appears the calculation of the percentage of participation of the participants in the relevant market as well as free interpretation of the Competition Law by the competent Directorate.
After receiving the Decision of approval, the applicant is obliged to record it in the Register of Approved Concentrations in the manner prescribed in the Regulation on form and content of application for the registry of approved concentrations.
Mirjana Nikcevic ... mirjana.nikcevic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Decembar 2010
REFORMA ODGOVORNOSTI ZA UVREDU I KLEVETU
Sloboda izražavanja jedan je od osnovnih temelja demokratskog društva, neophodna za otvorenu razmjenu mišljenja koja je uslov demokratskog razvoja.
Članom 47 Ustava Crne Gore, propisano je da svako ima pravo na slobodu izražavanja govorom, pisanom riječju, slikom ili na drugi način, kao i da se pravo na slobodu izražavanja može ograničiti samo pravom drugoga na dostojanstvo, ugled i čast i ako se ugrožava javni moral ili bezbjednost Crne Gore.
Što se tiče slobode medija, Zakonom o medijima (Sl.list Crne Gore broj 46/10) propisano je da se garantuje pravo na slobodno osnivanje i nesmetan rad medija zasnovan na: slobodi izražavanja, prikupljanja, širenja, objavljivanja i primanja informacija, slobodnom pristupu svim izvorima informacija, zaštiti čovjekove ličnosti i dostojanstva i slobodnom protoku informacija. Međutim u Crnoj Gori zastrašivanje novinara i nesrazmjerno visoke kazne zbog klevete predstavljaju razloge za zabrinutost. U tom smislu Zakoni i praksa u pogledu utvrđivanja odgovornosti za klevetu moraju biti potpuno usklađeni sa praksom Evropskog suda za ljudska prava.
Zakoni koji uređuju uvredu i klevetu u nekim državama Zapadnog Balkana, među kojima je i Crna Gora, još uvijek ne obezbjeđuju primjenu standarda koje je Evropski sud za ljudska prava uspostavio u svojoj praksi. U tom dijelu neophodno je preciziranje zakona, koje bi olakšalo razumijevanje evropskih standarda posebno sudijama i novinarima, kao i svim drugim građanima.
U cilju dugoročnog obezbjeđenja poštovanja slobode izražavanja i prava na zaštitu ugleda i časti u skladu sa evropskim standardima, uspostavljenim Evropskom konvencijom o ljudskim pravima i praksom Evropskog suda za ljudska prava, neophodno je sprovesti reformu ustava i zakona, koji uređuju krivičnu i građanskopravnu odgovornost za povredu ugleda i časti.
U tom cilju, nevladine organizacije među kojima i radna grupa Akcije za ljudska prava, ponudila je predlog izmjena i dopuna:
Ustava Crne Gore (članova 47 i 49) Krivičnog zakonika, u vidu:
Potpune dekriminalizacije Glave XVII (krivična djela protiv časti i ugleda) i alternativno,
Izmjena i dopuna krivičnih djela predviđenih u toj glavi;
Predloga novih krivičnih djela: Sprečavanje novinara u obavljanju profesionalnih zadataka i Napad na novinara u obavljanju profesionalnih zadataka;
Zakona o medijima.
Smatramo da je svakako korisno sprovesti reformu u ovoj obasti, posebno kad se ima u vidu činjenica da je sloboda medija poslednjih godina znatno ograničena brojnim sudskim procesima koji se vode protiv novinara, urednika i izdavača, kako zbog klevete i uvrede, tako i radi naknade nematerijalne štete zbog povrede ugleda i časti. Nijesu rijetki slučajevi gdje se povodom jednog, navodno spornog teksta, vodi krivični postupak protiv autora teksta zbog klevete i uvrede i parnični postupak protiv osnivača medija i protiv autora teksta radi naknade nematerijalne štete zbog povrede ugleda i časti. Ovakvim postupanjem nesumnjivo se vrši pritisak na medij, te se pokušava potpuno isljučiti i onako ograničena sloboda medija i sloboda izražavanja.
Ovom prilikom želimo ukazati na pravni nonsens koji postoji u praksi. Naime, protiv jednog okrivljenog podnijete su tri privatne krivične tužbe zbog „krivičnog djela uvrede u sticaju sa krivičnim djelom klevete u produženom trajanju“. Važno je napomenuti da je okrivljeni u ovom slučaju bio autor dva sporna teksta u kojima je samo prenio informaciju koju je dobio od svog izvora, pri čemu nije iznosio svoje mišljenje ili tvrdnju povodom spornog događaja, dok je u trećem spornom tekstu dao izjavu povodom privatne tužbe koja je podnijeta protiv njega, a isti nije bio autor teksta, niti je u svojoj izjavi iznio bilo šta što bi moglo škoditi časti i ugledu privatnih tužilaca. Da situacija bude još teža, povodom istih spornih tekstova podnijeta je tužba za naknadu nematerijalne štete zbog povrede ugleda i časti, i to protiv osnivača medija, kao i protiv aurtora teksta, a koji ima status okrivljenog u postupku po privatnim krivičnim tužbama. Ono što posebno upada u oči, jeste visina tužbenog zahtjeva, radi naknade štete zbog povrede ugleda i časti, koja je nesrazmjerno visoka u odnosu na ekonomsku situaciju u zemlji, kao i odnosu na finansijske mogućnosti lica protiv koga je podnijeta tužba.
Karakteristično je da veoma rijetko lica kojima je navodno povrijeđena čast i ugled kontaktiraju medij radi objavljivanja demantija, iako na to imaju pravo u skladu sa zakonom. Dakle, radije se pribjegava pokretanju sudskih postupaka, iako je demanti jedan od načina da šira javnost bude upoznata sa reagovanjem „oštećenog“ povodom spornog događaja. Evropski sud za ljudska prava utvrdio je standard tzv. „razumne publikacije“, koji podrazumijeva da ako novinar postupa savjesno, tj. poštuje standarde profesionalne etike, čak i klevetničke izjave o pitanjima od javnog značaja mogu biti zaštićene od odgovornosti. Na primjer, ako je novinar, učinio sve što je bilo razumno moguće prije nego što je objavio vijest od legitimnog javnog interesa da provjeri njenu tačnost i ako je imao opravdan razlog da povjeruje u njenu istinitost, osuda na naknadu štete značiće povredu njegovog prava na slobodu izražavanja. To može biti slučaj i ako se novinar oslonio na izvještaj državnog organa, za koji se kasnije ispostavi da je pogrešan ili ako prenese izjavu drugog lica, odnosno medija u namjeri da nastavi debatu od javnog interesa, a ne da, iz loše namjere, proizvoljno napada nečiji ugled.
Takođe treba naglasiti da Zakon o obligacionim odnosima sadrži sledeću odredbu: „Ali ne odgovara za prouzrokovanu štetu onaj ko učini neistinito saopštenje o drugome, ne znajući da je ono neistinito, ako je on ili onaj kome je saopštenje učinio imao u tome ozbiljnog interesa“. Iz ove odrebe jasno proizilazi da je isključena odgovornost u slučaju da je lice koje je prenijelo spornu informaciju (novinar ili neko drugo lice) bilo savjesno.
Nadalje, s obzirom da nije ograničen iznos koji bi mogao biti dosuđen u parničnom postupku na ime naknade nematerijalne štete, nerijetko je visina tužbenog zahtjeva nesrazmjerno visoka u odnosu na nastale „posledice“, te u tom smislu treba ukazati na obavezu poštovanja minimalnog standarda u pogledu srazmjernosti građanskih odšteta za povredu časti i ugleda, koje moraju uzeti u obzir prosječnu platu u državi, odnosno zaradu tuženog, a u slučaju kada je tuženi pravno lice (osnivač medija...) iznose koji neće ugroziti njihov opstanak.
Takođe, postavlje se pitanje na koji način se odmjerava visina tužbenog zahtjeva u parničnom postupku, kakvi su to dusevni bolovi za koje se traži satisfakcija u iznosima od više desetina hiljada eura, odnosno da li se čast i ugled uopšte mogu izmjeriti u novcu i nadoknaditi novčanim sredstvima? Smatramo da su čast i ugled osnovne vrijednosti svakog čovjeka koje svakako treba poštovati, ali je apsurdno zbog svake izgovorene riječi koja ne odgovora licu na koje se odnosi, i navodno vrijeđa dostojanstvo, čast i ugled, zahtijevati naknadu štete u enormnim iznosima.
Smatramo da povredu ugleda, časti i dostojanstva nije potrebno štiti kroz krivični zakon, jer su ove vrijednosti sasvim dovoljno zaštićene građanskopravnim sankcijama. Nameće se pitanje da li je zbog izgovorene riječi uopšte potrebno voditi krivični postupak, posebno kada se ima u vidu činjenica da se kazne u slučaju krivičnih djela koja se gone po privatnoj tužbi, uplaćuju u korist državnog budžeta i ne predstavljaju nikakvu satisfakciju za „oštećenog“. Sa druge strane, da li je primjereno osuditi čovjeka zbog izgovorene riječi i na taj način ga poistovijetiti sa licima koja vrše mnogo teža krivična djela, s obzirom da u skladu sa članom 225 Zakonika u krivičnom postupku (Sl.list Crne Gore broj 49/10), Ministarstvo pravde vodi kaznennu evidenciju o licima osuđenim za krivična djela na teritoriji Crne Gore, bez obzira o kom krivičnom djelu je riječ. Dakle, da li je moguće izjednačiti krivično djelo uvrede i klevete, sa recimo krivičnim djelom ubistva ili teške krađe? Svakako da nema mjesta upoređivanju ovih krivičnih djela, ali njihovi učinioci se tretiraju na isti način s obzirom da se i jedni i drugi upisuju u kaznenu evidenciju. Smatramo ispravnim mišljenje da novinari, aktivisti nevladinih organizacija, umjetnici i drugi usled javnog izražavanja stavova u demokratskom društvu, ne treba da budu osuđivani u krivi čnom postupku kao što je to slučaj sa učiniocima težih krivičnih djela.
Na kraju ističemo da su na okruglom stolu koji je održan povodom predloga reforme odgovornosti za uvredu i klevetu, iz nadležnih državnih organa, među kojima i Ministarstvo pravde, izrazili spremnost da podrže pomenutu reformu, ali u praksi se još uvijek ne vidi da postoji politička volja kako bi se zaista i sprovele reforme u oblasti krivičnog zakonodavstva.
Snezana Micanovic ... snezana.micanovic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
November 2010
THE NEW CHALLENGES OF INTELECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHT PROTECTION IN MONTENEGRO
Rampant piracy and low level of enforcement of copyright
laws destroy the incentives for the creation and distribution of
local cultural products in all the countries of the world and reveal
the need for concerted efforts to encourage creativity and to foster
sustainable development.The issue of intellectual property
protection rights historically has always been significant. Today in
postindustrial society with the fantastic development of information
technology, the issue is gaining on its relevance and importance, so
we could say that intellectual property rights are put before the
great challenges and dangers at the same time. Moreover, if society
does not achieve an adequate level of legal protection, there exists
a real danger that the chaos that would prevail in the sphere of
intellectual property seriously imperils intellectual property, and
even causes its abolition.
Intellectual property is a general term that includes a set of
several kinds of rights, among which the most important are: the
copyright, rights related to copyright and industrial property
rights (patents, utility models, topographies of integrated
circuits, new plant species, know-how, trademarks, names of origin,
indications of georafical origin, industrial design, business name
and competition law-the repression of unfair competition). These
intangible assets are proteced by various levels of exlusive rights,
which areas in our country are regulated with the new laws, some of
those that directly regulate this matter, and some other criminal,
customs and other laws.
Regarding to the protection of the intellectual property with the
civil law, with the claim submitted to the competent court, the
prosecutor may request also the determination of the existence
violation, to prohibit acts related to the such violation, to
compensate any damages, to publish in the media the judgment, which
expences will be covered by the defendant, and without any
compensation to seizure or destruct any materials and objects that
are used in creating of products, by which are made the violation of
law.
Also, on the request of the subject whose intellectual property
right has been violeted, the court may issue temporary measures of
seizure, removal from the market products that resulted by this
violation of law, confiscation of goods, exclusion from the market
the equipment and tools that are mainly used in the creation of such
products, prohibit any act in connection with already started
violation, until the valid court decision.
As in the last thirty years intellectual property has become the
most expensive good in the world market, it comes also to the
widespread theft of the ones, which main forms are falsification and
piracy. For that reason besides the protection of the intellectual
property in the civil law, criminal legislation for the first time
it had approached to this issue in the seriously manner. Namely, in
Criminal law now exist the special chapter - Crimes against the
intellectual property and with these provisions are presribed higher
pecuniary fines for these crimes, for economic offenses and for any
infringement of intellectual property, against to the legal
entities, responsible persons in the legal entities, entrepreneurs
and against physical persons.
It is important to point that in Montenegro, the authorities - the
inspection bodies get special powers and authorities in order to
effectively protect the intellectual property. The competent bodies
whose are authorized for enforcement of these law are the Ministry
of Economy through the Trade Inspection, Ministry of Health through
Health and Sanitation Inspections and Inspections for medical
devices, the Ministry for Spatial Planning and Environment through
the Building Inspection, Tourist inspection and through competent
officer of an independent regulatory body authorized for the
broadcasting. These bodies are authorized to take actions and make
regulations in accordance with the law ex officio or at the request
of the person who is holder of intellectual property right. The
competent authorities may act in accordance with the request of the
holder of intellectual property rights. The request should be
submitted in writing to the body authorised for inspectiona and
supervision in the field of intellectual property protection for
this type of rights.
The request may be individual for a certain amount of goods, or
general if it is relates to all future amounts of goods in the
proposed period. When in conducted procedure decides that the goods
should be ultimately seize, destroy or exclude from the market, the
goods are destroyed and removed from the market in the manner
prescribed by the decree of the authorized body which includes the
transfering of goods without any compensation to the charity or
solding for the purpose of recycling.
In addition to the applicable legislation, the Government of
Montenegro in September approved the Draft of the Law on Copyright
and Related Rights, Patent Law, Law on Legal Protection of
Industrial Design, as well as the proposal of the Law on Patent, by
which the proposed solution has taken a huge step and will give a
significant contribution to improving protection of industrial
property rights in Montenegro, at the level of the European Union.
With adoption of these acts, it will continue the harmonization
of regulations concerning with the relevant EU regulations, but
despite the current legal regulation of intellectual property, that
is we could say at a high level, still remains open issue whether in
practice will get to the strict adoption and application these
regulations and to the effective protection of these rights. The
question is whether there will be enough qualified staff for the
application of these provision, political will and awareness of the
authorities to overcome individual and daily political interests for
the common good of all society. The issue of intellectual property
protection should not be solved only on request from the
international community, or just because of the intellectual
creators. This is a problem all of us, in any capacity, role or side
that we are founded. Finally, protection and respect of the
intellectual property is no longer and not only a legal issue.
Estimation of other's intellectual creativity is not just respecting
of the law but also this is a matter of culture.
Radmila Radoicic ...
radmila.radoicic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
October 2010
EXECUTION OF CLAIMS ON BANK ACCOUNTS AND EXECUTION ON GARNISHMENT
Execution is one of the most important functions of law and an expression of its efficiency. It provides a functioning legal system in general.
In accordance with the Law on executive procedure of Montenegro, the procedure of execution it is initiated with a motion for execution. The motion for execution must contain the necessary information about the judgment creditor and the judgment debtor, executive or authentic documents, obligation of the judgment debtor, means and subject of execution, as well as other data necessary for the execution. Motion for execution on the basis of an authentic document must contain a request that the court oblige the debtor, within eight days, or in case of bills of exchange and checks disputes within three days, after the delivery of decision, to settle the claim with the costs of proceedings.
A decision of execution shall be delivered to the judgment creditor and the judgment debtor, while the decision of execution that rejects or dismiss the motion for execution is delivered only to the judgment creditor. A decision of execution on monetary claim is delivered also to the debtor of the judgment debtor, while the decision of execution on the means on the bank account is delivered also to the bank.
After the decision of execution is delivered to the judgment debtor, the execution can be carried out if the judgment debtor did not file an appeal within the prescribed time limit. Article 130 of the Law on executive procedure stipulates that the execution of claims for money which on transfer accounts, foreign currency accounts and other accounts with a bank belong to a natural person shall be prescribed by ordering the bank to pay the amount under execution to the judgment creditor, in conformity with the decision on execution. However, it is interesting the attitude of the court that the enforced collection of claims can not be done with sequestration of funds from the transfer accounts of the judgment debtor if the debtor is a natural person. Even in cases where the creditor knows the transfer accounts of the judgment debtor, or the number of savings account, it is not possible to conduct the execution. This fact is without foundation in law, but the courts are applying it by respecting the policy of commercial banks. While the Law on banks does not provide the prohibition of collection of claims from the transfer account of the natural person, the banks protects the interests of their clients and do not allow access to information that would, in their view, be a violation of protection of personal data.
In accordance with the above said arises the question of why the creditors can not be settled through sequestration of funds from transfer accounts of natural persons, based on the final decision, especially when one bears in mind that in proceedings before the Tax authorities, collection of taxes and other duties, can be made by sequestration of funds from the account of the debtor or taxpayer. Also it is allowed the collection of claims by sequestration of funds from the account of the debtor, in the case when the judgment debtor is a legal entity or entrepreneur, or a person who performs business activities, so in this regard remains unclear why the creditor in the same way can not collect the payment in case that the judgment debtor appears as a natural person, especially because the Law on executive procedure clearly provides that the payment claims may be made by sequestration of funds from the account of the debtor, even in cases where the debtor is a natural person.
Law on executive procedure stipulates that the execution can be carried out on the salary of the employee, in which case judgment creditor should be in knowledge where the judgment debtor is employed, so the debt it could be collected through the accounting of the firm in which the debtor is employed. The Article 122 of the Law on executive procedure, also stipulates that the decision on execution on salary shall prescribe the prohibition of a specific portion of salary and order the governmental authority, legal person or other employer who pays the judgment debtor’s salary to pay out i.e. to keep paying to the judgment debtor the sum for which the execution has been ordered. The decision on execution shall also refer to the increase in salary which occurs after the delivery of the decision on execution. When the judgment debtor’s employment is terminated, the decision on execution shall also affect the subsequent employer who employs the judgment debtor, commencing on the date the decision on execution has been served on the employer. The judgment creditor may file a motion that the court in the executive procedure passes a decision ordering the employer to pay to the judgment creditor all installments he omitted to garnish and to settle them in conformity with the decision on execution. This motion may be filed by the judgment creditor before termination of the executive procedure and the decision accepted by which shall be the motion of the judgment creditor, shall have the effect of a decision on execution.
The prohibition put on the judgment debtor’s salary with his consent (administrative prohibition), shall have the legal effect of the decision on execution on salary solely if was imposed before rendering the decision on execution. The administrative prohibition shall have no effect on the execution on garnishment for the purpose of settlement of claims based on legal maintenance, compensation for damages due to deterioration of health or impairment or loss of working ability and damage due to loss of maintenance because of the death of a person providing maintenance.
Finally, we wish to emphasize that it is expected the new Law on executive procedure to be adopted very soon, which will significantly change the course of the executive procedure.
Snezana Micanovic ... snezana.micanovic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
September 2010
BILL OF EXCANGE IN PRACTICE
Bill of exchange as instrument of payment, instrument of security payment and credit instrument is often used in business and modern market.
Bill of exchange is an unconditional order issued by a person or Company (hereinafter: the Drawer) which directs the recipient to pay money to the Creditor at the stated amount and the certain date and place. Taking into consideration several types of bill of exchange and that creditor in modern market as instrument of security payment often use “The Blank Bill of Exchange”, we want to point out our experience in this matter.
“The Blank Bill of Exchange” at the moment of issuing contains only the signature and stamp of the Drawer. The Creditor fills other data afterward in accordance with the Bill of Exchange Authorization issued by the Drawer. This type of bill of exchange is practical because the creditor can secure the debit claim which at the moment of bill of exchange issuing is not exactly defined and due date of the one is unknown.
Taking into consideration that the formality is the important characteristic which refers to bill of exchange validity, it is useful to know that before approval of the payment the Bank have to check whether the bill of exchange fulfill all conditions need for execution according to the Law. If the bill of exchange does not fill correctly and if the one does not contain all data according to the Law, the bank will reject the claim which refers to the payment of the one.
We want to indicate one specific situation according to our experience, when the Bank rejected the creditor’s claim for the bill of exchange payment although the one was filled correctly.
Namely, the Creditor submitted the claim for the bill of exchange payment to the Bank where the Debtor/Drawer has opened account, but the bank officer found out that the signature of the authorized person of Drawer which is stated on the bill of exchange is not authentic with the signature of the same person stated on the Specimen of Signatures, therefore the Bank rejected that Claim of Creditor.
Further to above mentioned it will be useful to review the Specimen of Signature of the Debtor before the bill of exchange issuing, in order to check the signature of the authorized person of Drawer who should sign the bill of exchange and keep the copy of the Specimen of Signature for any case. According to our opinion above described precaution should reduce risk of the possibly abuse or payment avoiding of the debtor.
Jelena Vujisic, Attorney at Law ... jelena.vujisic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
August 2010
TERMINATION OF RENEWAL OBLIGATION
Regarding to current regulations under the term ‘’business companies’’ in Montenegro, that impales: individual entrepreneur, general partnership, limited liability company, joint stock company and limited partnership.
In order to front mentioned types of companies, could perform the desired activities on the territory of Montenegro, by the Business Organization Law (Official Gazette of Montenegro no. 80/08) it was prescribed that they must register, and then, given that the duration of registration is only for 365 days, the same must be extended every year.
However, on 22 July 2010 entered into force the amendments on the Business Organization Law (Official Gazette of Montenegro no. 40/10), in a manner that was abolished the current obligation of companies to perform annual renewal of registration with the Central Registry of the Commercial Court in Podgorica. The previous law prescribed that all legal entities in Montenegro was obliged to make annual registration renewal by filing the application with the competent authority, and incase of delay of the legal deadline were prescribed a fine.
Above said means that companies must make the first, so called “initial registration”, for the purpose of founding the company, after which registration will be extended automatically, by the authorities in charge of companies in Montenegro - the Central Registry of the Commercial Court in Podgorica.
Through our practice, the renewal of registration once a year turned out to be a formality, and at our discretion, unnecessary step in performing activities of the companies, because the company was required to filled each year the registration form and pay the fee in the amount of € 1.00. In case of delay with the legal deadline for the registration renewal, were provided financial fines in the amount of 1,000.00 to € 10,000.00.
To our opinion, due to the abolition of this procedure, which has so far been required, the companies are facilitated to do business, in terms which are not required to renew the registration of an existing company. Now, there is need to register only the important changes in the companies, such as seat changes, changes of the founder, an increase or decrease of the initial capital, and other.
Ana Vojvodic ... ana.vojvodic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
Tanja Janovic ... tanja.janovic@lawoffice-vujacic.com
