TIRANA, APRIL 22, 2011     Today, USAID’s Albanian Justice Sector Strengthening Project (JuST) signed an agreement with the Durres District Court and the Albanian Foundation for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation of Disputes (AFCR) to support and expand its mediation program in Durres as an alternative to the resolution of disputes by the courts. 

Since February 2009, with the support of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), AFCR carried out mediation services at the Durres District Court. With this agreement, USAID will support AFCR to introduce and implement mediation of family court cases and continue to provide mediation service for commercial cases. 

Mediation, as an extra judicial independent activity, is undertaken voluntarily by parties in civil, commercial, labor and family disputes, and in certain penal cases.  The current Mediation Law, which entered in force on April 9, 2011, assigns the Ministry of Justice the responsibility of creating and maintaining the Register of Mediators, and establishes the National Chamber of Mediators. The law obligates judges to invite parties in relevant court cases to participate in mediation, thus providing an important tool for faster decisions and increase transparency in the courts.

USAID’s Director of Project Office, Andrew Maybrook, Deputy Minister of Justice, Brikena Kasmi, and Ilir Mustafaraj, from High Council of Justice, also participated in the ceremony. According to the Deputy Minister, mediation in dispute resolution is an important direction of reforms and measures with positive effects in the performance of the justice system in Albania.

USAID JuST is a five-year project to increase court transparency, fairness and efficiency; bolster watchdog and anticorruption roles of civil society organizations and media; and strengthen the legal profession and legal education in Albania.
By the end of this project in 2015, USAID will have established three mediation programs in Albania.