Court of BiH Confirms: United Media and Sport Klub Abused Dominant Position

The Court of BiH has made a final ruling that United Media violates the Competition Law and thus abuses its dominant position to the detriment of consumers, for which it has been fined 250,000 KM.

“This puts an end to the administrative dispute against the BiH Competition Council and the decision from April 2021, which established the abuse of dominant position by United Media through refusal to cooperate and conclude an agreement for the distribution of Sport Klub channels via m:tel-owned satellite television,” media outlets report.

According to the Court of BiH's verdict from the end of 2023, the positions of the Competition Council were confirmed, stating that United Media, through its actions in the relevant market, restricted production, market, or technical development to the detriment of consumers, and applied different conditions for the same or similar types of transactions. In this way, as stated in the Council's Decision, m:tel was placed in an unequal and unfavorable competitive position, which is prohibited by the Competition Law.

“Regardless of the draconian fine imposed by the Competition Council, and the Court of BiH confirming the same decision after more than two years – users of m:SAT satellite television, owned by m:tel, still do not have Sport Klub channels on their television today, which is proof of how United Media respects neither laws nor the rule of law in any area where it operates,” media outlets reported.