Montenegro’s authorities are anticipating a crucial court ruling regarding a significant competition case involving the country’s leading mobile network providers. The focus of the case is whether a cartel-like agreement occurred among the three largest operators—Telekom, One, and Mtel—concerning pricing strategies that might have hindered competition in the telecommunications sector.
This investigation originated from a decision made by the Agency for Protection of Competition (AZK) in April 2024, which initiated an inquiry into potential collusion among the operators over pricing of prepaid mobile services. The AZK’s formal findings indicated that the three companies allegedly coordinated to establish a minimum recharge price of €5 for specific prepaid offerings, an action deemed by the regulator as a collective effort that could distort market competition.
The operators have contested the regulator’s investigation and its findings in the Administrative Court, asserting that their pricing decisions stemmed from standard commercial practices and do not constitute an illegal agreement. Recently, the Administrative Court dismissed Telekom’s appeal aimed at overturning the AZK’s initial ruling, affirming the regulator’s right to further investigate the alleged conduct. This ruling serves as a preliminary step before the court can address the substantive legal challenges posed by the operators against the competition authority’s conclusions.
Officials from AZK have stated that the forthcoming court decision will be critical in determining whether an illicit agreement existed among these telecom firms and will influence how similar competition cases are managed within Montenegro’s evolving mobile market.
The implications of this case are being closely monitored by industry participants, given its potential impact on competition law enforcement and pricing strategies in the telecommunications landscape of the region.
