"Everything is urgent when it is requested too late."
(recorded in a notary’s office in Rijeka)
Kako bi se izbjegli nesporazumi, važno je pojasniti nekoliko osnovnih stvari. Dnevna norma poslovnog obujma iznosi oko 8 prevoditeljskih kartica, pri čemu jedna kartica ima 1.500 znakova s razmacima u Word dokumentu. U stvarnosti, prevoditelj rijetko radi samo na jednom tekstu. Najčešće već postoje ranije preuzeti poslovi, s unaprijed dogovorenim rokovima, koje je potrebno poštovati. Ako se u takvoj situaciji javi novi upit za, primjerice, 50 kartica s rokom “do sutra”, to u pravilu jednostavno nije izvedivo. Često nije realno ni za prekosutra, pa čak ni za tri dana.
U praksi sudskog tumača često se pokaže da je pojam “hitno” — relativan. Nekada se doista radi o nepredvidivoj situaciji, a nekada o dokumentu koji je jednostavno zatražen prekasno. Klijenti me često pitaju što se smatra hitnim prijevodom i zašto se on dodatno naplaćuje. Prema članku 26. Pravilnika o stalnim sudskim tumačima, za hitan prijevod obračunava se uvećanje od 50 % na cijenu obavljenog prijevoda. Zanimljivo je da u tom trenutku prijevod ponekad postane — manje hitan.
Why?
Because translations requiring certification by a sworn court interpreter generally involve serious, legally or substantively demanding texts, where every word must be weighed, checked, and often additionally researched. A high-quality translation is not merely “rewriting” a text in another language. If, in exceptional cases, a translator manages to complete 30 or so pages in a single day, this is solely due to years of experience. And here, a principle applies that extends beyond translation: what is paid for is not the number of hours worked, but the knowledge and experience that enable the work to be completed quickly and to a high standard.
The same applies in any profession.
For a translator, an urgent translation means reorganising an existing schedule in order to meet a short deadline, and often involves additional work outside the usual daily routine. Working at weekends and at night is an integral part of this profession. Sworn court interpreters are directly connected to the work of courts, public prosecutors’ offices and notaries, which generally operate within clearly prescribed legal deadlines. An urgent translation is not simply “I’m in a hurry”. It means that if the sworn court interpreter does not complete their part of the work on time, the entire legal process may be put at risk. This is precisely why the legislator has provided that urgent translations are charged at a 50% higher rate than the standard fee.
The additional fee does not relate to speed itself, but to responsibility, the reorganisation of work, and availability outside regular working hours that such requests entail. It is precisely these clearly defined rules on urgency that help both clients and sworn court interpreters ensure that the work is carried out professionally, responsibly, and without unnecessary misunderstandings.
