The Delta City's shopping mall management publicly protested yesterday because the Ministry of Economy has refused to exempt the shopping malls from the Law on non-working Sundays, which is contained in the draft law on domestic trade. This company did not directly answer whether they would submit an initiative to the Constitutional Court following the example of the trade centers in Croatia if such a proposal is to be finally adopted.
"The proposed amendments to the law already cause justified disapproval and dissatisfaction with many entities. Shopping Mall Delta City is a member of the Employers' Union of Montenegro and we believe that it is the right way to justifiably seek to exercise our rights through this organization," said the company.
Commercial centers in Croatia have been able to overcome laws that limit their work on Sundays with the decision from their Constitutional Court, in two cases in 2003 and 2009. In both cases, the prohibition of work lasted only a few months. The Constitutional Court of Croatia has explained the termination of the law by granting a guaranteed right to the equal position of entrepreneurs and freedom of business.
"On the weekend, the first Montenegrin shopping mall is visited by 18,000 to 24,000 people. The industry's estimate is that Sunday as a non-working day, in this case, causes loss of a minimum of EUR one million in the monthly turnover of our tenants. The financial loss of the leaseholder entails the reduction of salary and the release of labor. It is estimated that around 20% of the workforce in the center will be left without a job," they added, stating that the state would, therefore, have lower incomes.
They say that in all the countries of the region and in most European countries, shopping malls are working on Sundays. They pointed out the examples of Hungary, for example, where a similar prohibition was abolished only after a few months due to the drastic drop in the turnover.
Text by Goran Kapor, on June 6th 2019, read more at Vijesti
