Cap. 644 ст. 36General provision on offences and penalties.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Act and without prejudice to any higher punishment to which a person acting in breach of any regulations made thereunder may be liable under any other law, any person acting in breach of the provisions of this Act or any regulations made thereunder shall be liable for the payment of an administrative penalty of not more than twenty thousand euro (€20,000).

(2) Any administrative penalty imposed in terms of this Act or any regulations made thereunder shall be recoverable as a civil debt by the Agency.

(3) Where the Agency requires to sue in court for the recovery of a debt due to it under this Act or any regulations made thereunder, the Executive Head or an officer duly authorised by him to act on behalf of the Agency, may make a declaration on oath before the court Registrar or before any other officer authorised to administer the oath in judicial matters, where he states the nature of the debt and the name of the debtor and confirms that it is due.

(4) The declaration referred to in sub-article (3) shall be served upon the debtor by means of a judicial letter and it shall have the same effect as a final judgement of the competent court unless the debtor shall, within a period of twenty (20) days from service upon him of the said declaration, oppose the claim by filing a court application demanding that the court declares the claim is unfounded.

(5) The court application filed in terms of sub-article (4) shall be served upon the Agency, which shall be entitled to file a reply within a period of twenty (20) days. The Court shall appoint the application for a hearing on a date after the lapse of that period.

(6) Any debts due to the Agency shall be prescribed by the lapse of the period of five (5) years from the date on which the debt was due.

(7) No licence and, or authorisation shall be issued or renewed in terms of this Act in favour of any person who has not yet settled any pending debts due to the Agency.