As per Article 6 of the Human Rights Convention, everyone has the right to a fair and public trial within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court established by law.
In Croatia, all civil cases can be dealt with by the courts, and there are no conciliation councils or tribunals that can process small claims cases. It is also inexpensive to go to court. A judge can therefore have both cases pertaining to an unpaid bill of 100 EUR or significantly larger cases. And hearings must be held in all cases. This in turn, leads to a large backlog of cases.
The Croatian and Norwegian delegation at Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
Under the EEA/Norway Grants programme therefore, training has been given to over 500 participants in Croatia on court annexed mediation. In addition, study trips to several countries have been executed (Portugal, Norway, the Netherlands and Ireland), a manual for legal mediation will be developed and several studies have been undertaken by both Croatian and Norwegian experts. The Norwegian experts involved are judge Kristin Kjelland-Mørdre and lawyer Anne Lise Rolland.
As part of the collaboration, a round table conference was held in Plitvice Lakes (an area on the UNESCO World Heritage List), to review the results achieved, with contributions from both Norwegian and Croatian experts. Participants shared best practices and challenges, focusing on how to promote mediation as an effective tool for resolving disputes. In addition, there was a meeting with the Croatian association for mediation, and a visit to the largest court in Zagreb for civil cases.
In short, this shows that the EEA/Norway funds are not only an important opportunity to foster bilateral cooperation and cross - cultural exchange between countries, but also the possibility to reflect on one's own legal system. The transfer of competence, expanding international networks and learning from different practices on mediation forms a clear added value for both the Norwegian and Croatian judiciary.