Slovakia – adviser on mediation to the Slovak Ministry of Justice
In 2004, CMI was retained to continue as adviser on mediation to the Slovak Ministry of Justice. Through our involvement over the previous two years, the foundations of an effective mediation system had been laid in Slovakia. The focus of the work was now to test the effectiveness of these foundations through a series of structured pilot schemes annexed to the courts.
CMI’s role was to advise on the design of these pilot schemes and then oversee their implementation. Pilots were put in place in 5 court centres, Bratislava Districts II and III, Banska Bystrica, Kosice, and Presov. We also convened regular meetings of all the judges and mediators participating in the schemes under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice, initially to design the pilots and then to assess progress. Data from each pilot scheme was produced and assessed quarterly, enabling the pilots to be adapted in the light of actual experience. Additional training programmes were put in place to respond to the further needs identified under the pilot schemes.
