Montenegro court lifts ownership change block on Televizija Vijesti

The Commercial Court of Montenegro has lifted a temporary injunction that was blocking changes to the ownership and management structure of Televizija Vijesti. The court ruled that a temporary measure cannot be used to preemptively prohibit a legally convened assembly or restrict a company’s decision-making and representation, as doing so would constitute impermissible interference in its business operations.

The decision follows an August injunction requested by the founders and minority owners of the television station, which had sought to preserve the status quo pending the resolution of a dispute over the sale of a majority stake. The court found that the applicants did not sufficiently prove that their right of first refusal was currently violated or imminently threatened.

United Media currently holds a 51 percent stake in Televizija Vijesti, while the founders and the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF), along with other minority shareholders, hold the remaining 49 percent. Alpac Capital CEO Pedro Vargas David stated that the investment group has initiated formal procedures regarding the acquisition of media companies in Montenegro as part of a strategic regional vision for Southeast Europe.