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A:
Mediation to lead to quicker resolution of disputes
Belgrade,
31 March 2005
Serbian Minister of Justice Zoran Stojkovic said today at a national conference on mediation that mediation in court proceedings can help reduce the number of overdue cases, ensure peaceful and timely resolution of certain disputes and cut overall legal costs.
Author:
FoNet
The conference was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Belgrade and organised by the Southeast Europe Enterprise Development (SEED) project carried out by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is implementing a project of alternative dispute settlement in Serbia.
The Law on Mediation in court proceedings was adopted in late February and will become effective in early June. Mediation is an alternative way of settling disputes with the assistance of a third, neutral person - the mediator.
Minister Stojkovic said that in this transitional period, until the law has come into force, the Ministry has established a centre for education of mediators and a working group for passing mediation bylaws.
The head of the project of alternative dispute settlements Biserka Jevtimijevic Drinjakovic said that SEED aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use mediation because the prolongation of court proceedings hurts this sector the most.
She said that the SEED project supported the preparation of the Law on Mediation, two mediation pilot projects in Belgrade and Subotica, as well as a mediator training programme in which 40 judges have participated so far.
President of the Second Municipal Court Gordana Mihajlovic said that owing to the mediation pilot project that has been implemented in that court, 400 disputes have been resolved since October, which is 86 percent of cases with a total value of around €1.2 million.
According to Mihajlovic, the prolongation of cases is a significant problem in the judiciary. With the use of mediation, a case can be resolved in two or three hours' time instead of ten years.
Mihajlovic explained that mediation will be used in civil and commercial proceedings and that there is also a possibility to apply mediation to criminal and administrative proceedings as well.
SEED received additional funds from the Canadian International Development Agency, worth $600,000, to continue the project.
Today's conference gathered more than 300 participants who heard experiences in the field of mediation as told by specially chosen foreign guests.
The Law on Mediation in court proceedings was adopted in late February and will become effective in early June. Mediation is an alternative way of settling disputes with the assistance of a third, neutral person - the mediator.
Minister Stojkovic said that in this transitional period, until the law has come into force, the Ministry has established a centre for education of mediators and a working group for passing mediation bylaws.
The head of the project of alternative dispute settlements Biserka Jevtimijevic Drinjakovic said that SEED aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use mediation because the prolongation of court proceedings hurts this sector the most.
She said that the SEED project supported the preparation of the Law on Mediation, two mediation pilot projects in Belgrade and Subotica, as well as a mediator training programme in which 40 judges have participated so far.
President of the Second Municipal Court Gordana Mihajlovic said that owing to the mediation pilot project that has been implemented in that court, 400 disputes have been resolved since October, which is 86 percent of cases with a total value of around €1.2 million.
According to Mihajlovic, the prolongation of cases is a significant problem in the judiciary. With the use of mediation, a case can be resolved in two or three hours' time instead of ten years.
Mihajlovic explained that mediation will be used in civil and commercial proceedings and that there is also a possibility to apply mediation to criminal and administrative proceedings as well.
SEED received additional funds from the Canadian International Development Agency, worth $600,000, to continue the project.
Today's conference gathered more than 300 participants who heard experiences in the field of mediation as told by specially chosen foreign guests.
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