Montenegro telecom operators face potential cartel fines

The Agency for Protection of Competition in Montenegro has identified cartel behavior among telecommunications operators. The investigation follows instances where companies increased service prices within a single day.

Legal proceedings are expected to determine the final outcome. If a cartel agreement is proven in court, operators could face significant penalties ranging from 1% to 10% of their total revenue rather than just their profits. Nebojša Jovović, Director of the Agency, noted that the state has mechanisms to impose severe penalties to deter future violations of competition laws.

During an Economy Committee session, lawmakers raised concerns regarding the potential for cases to expire due to statute of limitations, which has previously resulted in lost state revenue.