The Organization for the Protection of Film Producers Rights A-rights Montenegro is one of two existing collective organizations dealing with copyright and related rights in Montenegro.
A-RIGHTS Montenegro represents the domestic and foreign repertoire from the domain of audiovisual production. On this basis, there is a reimbursement from the cable retransmission system in Montenegro.
Maja Djondovic, Deputy Director for General Legal Affairs, Operations and International Cooperation and Legal Advisor in the Organization, says that thanks to the initiative of the Organization's leadership a few years ago, the fund for the establishment and construction of the first film studio in Montenegro was launched. Pursuant to the Copyright and Related Rights Law and Statutory Authorizations, each year a certain amount is allocated for this fund. A project supported by the Governing Board of the Organization and the Fund, which already has significant resources collected for the purpose of launching and realizing it.
Djondovic says that, despite the low tariff for cable operators in MNE (the lowest in the region), a really poorly developed domestic film production in MNE, poorly represented repertoire of domestic creators, from both local TV broadcasters and cable retransmission system; the initiative of the fund for construction of the studio is of crucial importance for the improvement not only of the work of filmmakers in MNE, but also for the improvement of the general cultural situation in the audiovisual sector of our small state. There is also the possibility of opening up new jobs, attracting and cooperating with foreign co-production etc. Until now, apart from a few municipalities who have shown interest in participation to the project, in the form of leasing the land for the beginning of the studio’s construction, competent ministries or other state authorities have not yet shown too much interest in engaging in this project.
"We have been supported by the international organizations for years, both in our work and in the support of this important project, but we consider that the state authorities are not sufficiently involved in this very important initiative, a project that would only have positive effects on audiovisual creators in Montenegro in the long run, and to the overall state of the Montenegrin cultural scene. It is clear that this is a project of public interest. To this end, it has been launched," says Djondovic and adds:
"It is important to us from the Organization that at the head of the fund there will be a team that will reliably and transparently invest the collected money for the purpose for which it is committed, with the full support of the state institutions."
A bilateral agreement with the AGICO Alliance was signed
Djondovic says that after several months of negotiations, a bilateral agreement with the AGICO Alliance was signed last Sunday, representing the world repertoire of film production, with the accent on the American, which is mostly used in Montenegrin TV ether. She announces on behalf of the organization that they are largely in the process of opening up new tariff-related negotiations with the cable operators in Montenegro and ultimately implementing the system of collecting private copying fees, as well as keeping an eye on raising awareness of professional and laic public about the system of work and the importance of the existence of collective organizations for the protection of copyright and related rights in general.- Collective organizations are not a business barrier in a system where the rule of law should be the guiding principle of action in every segment of society, especially in the field of the protection of intellectual property rights. That is why we are actively working on transparency and increasing awareness of the specificity and importance of these organizations," concluded Djondovic.
Text by Promo, on February 12th 2019, read more at Vijesti
