According to the president's press service, the purpose of adopting this law is to strengthen citizens' trust in peaceful conflict resolution, as well as to enhance social stability and harmony in society. The law aims to improve mediation practices within the legal system by introducing it as a mechanism for pre-trial and out-of-court dispute resolution in a number of civil and criminal cases, while also providing state support in the area of legal assistance, including mediation.
The new law includes a number of key changes:
1. Amendments will be made to the Civil Procedure Code, requiring parties to attend a mediative information meeting.
2. The Code on Non-Tax Revenues will be amended regarding the payment of state fees: when resolving a dispute through mediation, only half of the fee amount will be paid.
3. The Criminal Executive Code will be supplemented with a requirement that the administration of a correctional facility or military unit must send information to the court within ten working days after receiving a request from a convicted person for conditional early release, including data on the conclusion of a mediation agreement.
4. The Criminal Procedure Code will also undergo changes, specifically:
– Criminal cases cannot be initiated, and already initiated cases must be terminated in cases where the victim refuses private prosecution or an agreement is reached between the accused and the victim with the help of a mediator.
– Information obtained at the mediative meeting will be considered inadmissible as evidence.
5. Changes will also be made to the law "On Guaranteed State Legal Assistance," which will now include mediation as part of legal assistance.
6. The law "On the Status of Judicial Executors and Enforcement Proceedings" will be supplemented with a provision stating that notarized mediation agreements are considered enforcement documents.
7. The Labor Code will establish mandatory pre-trial resolution of labor disputes through mediation.
The law will come into effect on January 1, 2027.
