On April 21-22, in Bishkek, the Higher School of Justice under the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic hosted a training session for judges of local courts on “Fundamentals of mediation. Role in the litigation”. The training is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) as part of the Commercial Mediation in the Kyrgyz Republic (Phase 2): Response to COVID-19 Project.

Director of the Higher School of Justice Elmira Baitikova, in her welcoming speech, noted the importance of developing mediation in Kyrgyzstan.

Director of the IDLO branch Dilbar Maksimbekova noted that since 2005 the organization has been cooperating with the judiciary in key areas – comprehensive training of judges, and the introduction of digital technologies.

“Currently, together with the EBRD, we are working on a project to develop commercial mediation in the Kyrgyz Republic. Successful resolution of commercial disputes is the key to the investment attractiveness of the country,” Maksimbekova said.

It is the court, which faces a large number of disputes, that can provide clarifications on the mediation procedure and direct the parties to an information meeting with the mediator.

Trainers Galina Sheremetova, leading expert of the Center for Mediation of the Ural State Law University, mediator, associate professor of the Department of Civil Procedure of the Ural State University of Law, and Galina Shin, a judge of the Sverdlovsk District Court of Bishkek, reported that within two days the participants received information about the basics of mediation and its role in litigation.

“Judges must understand when it is necessary to send the parties to an information meeting with a mediator, how to give clarifications, and be able to document the results of mediation meetings and procedures,” Sheremetova said.

Upon completion of the training, participants received certificates.