Annual Conference

“Mediation – for a New Culture in Dispute Resolution’’

June 9, 2021

Draft-PROGRAMME

Context

Mediation in our country was introduced in 2006. The Law on Mediation currently into force has
been adopted in 2013, and effective implementation thereof commenced in February 2016.
The new Law showed results in application, which is also visible in the increased number of
mediations and reached agreements, but there are still certain conditions to be overcome in this area.
Reforms related to mediation as an alternative way of resolving disputes is one of the strategic goals of
the Judicial Sector Reform Strategy 2017-2022.

Even though the new legislative framework, which is currently in its final phase, is expected to
help overcome issues detected thus far during the implementation of the current law, there is a need of
other measures to improve mediation in practice. There is a need, Inter alia, of wider affirmation of
mediation as alternative an alternative way of resolving disputes, as listed under European Commission
progress reports, and it is also necessary to show benefits of this dispute resolution method.

Conference objectives:

- To allow detailed discussion on state-of-affairs in the use of mediation, benefits thereof as

alternative an alternative way of resolving disputes by means of mediation in specific branches
of law, as well as to show best practices and experiences from other countries;
- To acquaint citizens and business entities with mediation as alternative an alternative way of
resolving disputes.

The conference will be held as part of the project “Mediate, do not hesitate!“, implemented by
the European Policy Institute (EPI)- Skopje in cooperation with The Academy for Judges and Public
Prosecutors “Pavel Shatev”, The Chamber of Mediators of the Republic of North Macedonia and The
Mediators Federation Netherlands. The project is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands in Skopje. Notably, the project aims to contribute to promotion and enhanced use of
mediation by joint actions, dialogue and evidence-based representation, as well as to strengthen
capacities of mediators, judges, public prosecutors and the Chamber of Mediators.
10.30- 11.15 Introductory Remarks

Dr. Simonida Kacarska, Director of the European Policy Institute

Mr. Zoran Zaev, President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia

Mr. Bojan Marichikj, Minister of Justice of the Republic of North Macedonia

H.E, Mr. Dirk Jan Kop, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Skopje

Mr. Slave Mladenovski, Chair of the Chamber of Mediators of the Republic of North
Macedonia

Prof. Dr. Natasha Gaber Damjanovska, Director of the Academy for Judges and Public
Prosecutors

Prof. Dr. Jan Van Zwieten, Chair of the Mediators Federation Netherlands

11.15- 12.40 Experience with Mediation in Other Countries

Prof. Dr. Jan Van Zwieten, Chair of the Mediators Federation Netherlands

Ms. Elena Koltsaki, mediator, Greece

Mr. Leonardo D`Urso, Italy, Cofounder and Executive Director of ADR Center Global

Mr. Stipe Shola, Chair of the Association of Mediators of Southeast Europe, Croatia

moderator: Ms. Iva Conevska, Project Manager and Researcher in the European Policy
Institute

13.00- 14.15 Key Challenges and Attained Results

Dr. Malinka Ristevska Jordanova, member of EPI Executive Board

Ms. Radica Lazarevska Gerovska, State Advisor in the Ministry of Justice

Moderator: Dr. Ardita Abazi Imeri, Programme Director in the European Policy Institute
14.15- 15.00 Mediation in Various Disputes

Ms. Biljana Azeska Tolevska, mediator

Dr. Jelisaveta Georgieva Jovevska, mediator

Dr. Marko Andonov, Chair of the Board for Mediation Monitoring and Evalutation

Mr. Ilija Manasiev, mediator

Ms. Gordana Atanasova, mediator

Moderator: Ms. Angela Delevska, Project Assistant in the European Policy Institute

15.00- 15.15 Closing Remarks

Dr. Ardita Abazi Imeri, Programme Director of the European Policy Institute

Invited parties:
- Mediators,
- Representatives of the judicial sector,
- Representatives of the academia,
- Representatives of the business community,
- Representatives of diplomatic missions in the country,
- Civil society organizations.

Place
The event will be held via the ZOOM platform.

Debate Rules
Speakers will have 10 minutes for their speech. Each panel will be followed by Q & A session.

Logistics
Macedonian, English and Albanian language interpretation will be provided.