Cetinje wins court case: €10,000 in damages ordered over „Heart of Serbia“ music video

The Basic Court in Cetinje has issued a first-instance ruling upholding the claim brought by the Royal Capital of Cetinje against Miroljub Petrović and the Serbian association „Pleme Kuči“ (Kuči Tribe), over the violation of the Royal Capital’s right to reputation and identity resulting from the publication of the music video „Heart of Serbia“ („Srce Srbije“).

Under the ruling, the defendants have been ordered to pay the Royal Capital €10,000 in non-pecuniary damages on a joint and several basis, as well as to cover the legal costs. They have also been ordered to remove the disputed music video from YouTube and to permanently refrain from republishing it online or through the media.

In its reasoning, the court found, among other things, that Cetinje’s recognisable cultural and historical symbols had been used and presented in a context that violated the reputation and identity of the Royal Capital as Montenegro’s historical and cultural centre.

The Royal Capital of Cetinje was represented in the proceedings by Cetinje-based lawyer Vido Đakonović.