United Group and two of its companies have filed an arbitration claim against the state of Serbia with the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in Washington DC.
According to N1 TV, a TV station operated by United Group in Serbia, Netherlands-based United Group claims that Serbia has violated several obligations of the bilateral investment agreement with the Netherlands related to incentives and mutual protection of investments between the two countries.
United Group said in a statement: “Since 2014, United Group has been hit by numerous unfounded and discriminatory measures implemented by the Serbian authorities and state institutions. They are carried out as part of an intensive and orchestrated campaign aimed at reducing the market share of SBB, the telecommunications operator of the United Group in Serbia, and to promote and implement the interests of Telekom Srbija”.
The statement added that the United Group filed a request for arbitration in order to protect the company’s investments in Serbia, “since the Government of Serbia did not respond to the earlier request for the dispute to be resolved amicably”.
It also said that the parties will appoint arbitrators and continue with written submissions.
