obaveza

Obaveza is a noun used in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, and Serbian, meaning obligation or duty. In everyday language it can refer to moral duties as well as legally binding duties.

In civil-law contexts, obaveza denotes a legal relationship between two parties in which one party (the debtor) is required to perform, or refrain from performing, a specific act for the benefit of the other party (the creditor). An obaveza can arise from contracts, delicts (torts), statutes, quasi-contracts, or unjust enrichment. Key elements typically include the subject matter (the object of the obligation), the person bound to perform (the debtor), the right of the other party to demand performance (the creditor), and the possibility of performance.

Performance can involve delivering a thing, paying money, or an act or abstention. Obligations may be monetary or non-monetary. Breach of an obaveza may trigger remedies such as damages, specific performance, or termination of the contract, depending on the legal framework and the nature of the obligation. Some obligations may be enforceable by law, while others may be moral rather than legally binding.

Types commonly distinguished are contractual obligations (arising from contracts), non-contractual obligations (such as delicts), and quasi-contractual obligations (where liability arises without a formal agreement). The term also appears in everyday use to denote a duty one has to fulfill, such as paying taxes, meeting deadlines, or caring for dependents. Etymologically, obaveza derives from the verb meaning to bind or obligate, reflecting the sense of being bound to act.