THE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACT IN SERBIAN LAW

Abstract

The paper deals with the new legal institute of administrative contract in Serbian Administrative Law. It was introduced in 2016 in the Law on General Administrative Procedure (LGAP), establishing rules on its definition, modification and termination, objection due to non-performance and subsidiary application of law on obligations. The prevailing opinions from the Serbian legal theory are shown through the analysis of the relevant articles of the LGAP with regard to the administrative contract – its definition, modification and termination of administrative. It is to be underlined that the problematic issues concern the differing legal positions of the public body and the private entity as contracting parties, as well as the consequence of this – a disputed legal nature of the administrative contract. It is concluded that the administrative contract in Serbian Law has a particular legal regulation; that it cannot be equated to a pure administrative act, nor a civil contract. Its normative regime is characterized by an ambivalent legal nature, where two legally unequal wills come to an agreement on the establishment of a mutual commitment (obligation), but with effects for the public as well. Here, the public side of the contract has a stronger standing and can to a greater extent influence the content of the contract. Baring in mind the positive (flexibility, efficiency, direct fulfillment of contractual aims with less governmental compulsion) and the negative effects (possible corruption, “selling out” of sovereign rights, endangerment of the uniformity of the legal system) of this instrument, it can be anticipated that the fragmented character of the regulations of the LGAP on the administrative contract will induce judicial practice and legal theory to give answers that the legislator omitted to provide.