Communication in Montenegro

Everyday communication in Montenegro is mostly informal, and no reliable nationwide source establishes one binding etiquette for all situations. Communication with authorities is usually polite and direct. A written request, email, receipt or confirmation can prove what was sent and when, especially for applications, complaints and disputes. If a conversation is not understood, ask for an explanation, use written communication or arrange translation in a language understood within the applicable procedure. Montenegrin is the official language. Latin and Cyrillic are equally recognized scripts, and Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian and Croatian may also be used officially. The appropriate language and script can depend on the institution and procedure, so check the receiving authority's requirements before submitting a form. Local names used in communication include prigovor for an objection or complaint, reklamacija for a service or product complaint, and žalba for a formal appeal. Telephone numbers in Montenegro use country code +382. From abroad, dial +382 followed by the national number; national numbers have no more than nine digits. Number portability allows a customer to keep a number when changing providers. Prices depend on the provider and contract. The universal service framework aims to make affordable broadband internet and voice access available in all regions, with special measures for people with disabilities and people in social need. The emergency number 112 is free and available throughout Montenegro 24 hours a day, every day. OKC112 receives the call and directs it to medical assistance, police, protection and rescue services or another responsible service. Police can also be reached at 122, protection, rescue and fire services at 123, and emergency medical assistance at 124. 112 operators can communicate in Montenegrin, English, Italian, French, Russian and Albanian. People with disabilities can use 112 by voice call, SMS, real-time text, video or eCall. 112MNE supports emergency calls and SMS without internet access, and accessible solutions are available at airports, ports and bus and railway terminals. Telecommunications customers can receive a connection within eight days when technical conditions allow it. Providers must supply agreed service quality and availability information, detailed bills and communications confidentiality. Customers can request free limits or blocking for certain number groups and SMS services. A contract change that disadvantages the customer must be announced in writing or, where applicable, by SMS at least 30 days in advance. The customer can terminate the contract without a fee within 30 days after such a change. A customer who disputes a telecommunications bill should submit the objection to the provider within eight days. The provider has eight days to decide. If it rejects the objection or does not respond, the customer can submit a žalba to EKIP within 15 days. EKIP decides within 30 days, and a decision can be challenged before the Administrative Court within 30 days. While the dispute continues, the undisputed amount or the average of the last three undisputed bills remains payable, and service suspension because of the disputed amount is paused. Malicious or unwanted calls and messages should be reported to the provider in writing or electronically with their content, date and time. The provider records the report, confirms it, and can issue a warning or block the source. Misuse of emergency services can lead to measures under the telecommunications contract. Pošta Crne Gore provides standard, registered, parcel, express and international postal services. A sender can track a shipment with its prijemni broj, the receipt or tracking number. Post Express DANAS-DANAS usually delivers within about one day within a city; shipments from 0.1 to 30 kilograms cost approximately EUR 4 to EUR 12 excluding VAT. DANAS-SJUTRA offers delivery by 10:00 or 18:00, depending on the selected service. A postal complaint about non-delivery, delay or contractual performance should normally be filed within six months. Damage or reduced contents should be reported at delivery or no later than the following day. Pošta Crne Gore must answer an inland complaint within 10 days and an international complaint within 60 days. If the response is rejected or missing, the sender can submit a prigovor to EKIP within 15 days and later challenge the decision before the Administrative Court within 30 days. eUprava is Montenegro's national public-service portal. It lets users search for institutions and life situations, read information and access electronic services. Access may be anonymous, through email registration or with a digital certificate. The portal supports Latin, Cyrillic and English. eParticipacija provides a channel for participation in public consultations. Montenegro's electronic-government rules recognize electronic documents in administrative and court procedures and require public institutions to use information and communication technology for receiving, exchanging, processing, delivering, publishing and communicating information. Public institutions can be contacted through eUprava, an institution's website or email, post or personal attendance. A freedom-of-information request, called a Zahtjev, does not require a reason. It can be submitted through eUprava, by post, email or fax, or orally for the record. State the information sought, the preferred access method and the required identity and address details, then verify which institution has local responsibility. The Ombudsman, formally the Zaštitnik ljudskih prava i sloboda, accepts complaints about state and local bodies, public services and holders of public authority. A complaint can use a written form, a clear podnesak or an oral statement entered into the record; an electronic signature may be used. The procedure is free and confidential, but the Ombudsman does not replace a specialized telecommunications or postal complaint procedure. The correct path depends on whether the problem concerns a public authority, a service provider, a postal shipment, an emergency response or access for a person with a disability.