Moldova marks Conflict Resolution Day

For the second year, Moldova marks the Conflict Resolution Day. On this occasion, the Penal Reform Institute (PRI) will organize activities promoting alternative methods of resolving conflicts, Info-Prim Neo has learnt from the PRI. From October 16 to 23, PRI mediators will hold 25 workshop in universities from Chisinau, Balti and Cahul. On October 23, the drive will end in distributing info materials about mediation in courts and prosecutor's offices in Chisinau. The purpose is to promote mediation as an alternative way in settling conflicts. The mediation is a friendly way of resolving conflicts between parties, with the assistance of a third entity – the mediator. In Moldova, the mediation has been practiced since 2005, and the PRI started mediating activities in Chisinau, Ungheni and Cahul districts. In 2007, they were expanded in Balti, Telenesti and Falesti. Up to now, the PRI mediators have settled 282 penal conflicts. In 70% of cases, the victim and the offender have signed conciliation agreements, what led to canceling the penal trial. Although, the mediation is a practice well established for 20 years, in Moldova, the Law on mediation was adopted in June 2007. It provides to benefit of the services of a mediator remunerated by the Government as from January 1, 2009. Other alternative methods to resolve conflicts are: facilitation, negotiation, arbitrage and conciliation. Being less formal that the court trials these techniques gain more and more supporters since the parties realize their interests, the solutions are sustainable, the costs are much lower and the procedure is confidential. The Conflict Resolution day was adopted Conflict Resolution Association from Washington in October 2005 an is to be marked on the third Thursday of October.