Requests for banking mediation received and solved by the Union of Banking Mediators fell over 90% last year, said Tudor Tatu, the president of the Union of Banking Mediators, in an interview. He explained that in 2011 the Union of Banking Mediators has solved over 500 requests, whereas in 2012 that number fell to 38, of which more than half were denied. The large number of requests for mediation recorded in 2011 came as a result of the introduction of the Government Emergency Ordinance 50/2010, which led to the creation of the conflicts between banks and their customers, according to Tudor Tatu.

For now, mediation has failed to be perceived as an effective solution to the conflicts between banks and their customers, he mentioned. Still, the mediators who are the members of the Union of Banking Mediators, who succeeded in getting the parties of banking lawsuit together for mediation, have a success percentage of approximately 25%, which is considered a good outcome, compared to the specific of the dispute, according to the president of the Union.

Reporter: What is the form banking mediation currently takes in Romania?

Tudor Tatu: Since its creation, the Union of the Banking Mediators has constantly taken steps to promote mediation among the customers of banking or non-banking institutions (IFN), as well as among the employees of the latter, using various channels accessible for information.

However, the banking cases are just another segment of disputes which are hard to access by mediators, but an approach adapted to the rigors of the financial-banking system can ensure a positive response in a not so far future.

As the disputes between banks and their customers are many, mediation failed for now to be perceived as an efficient alternative to the conflicts of this kind.

However, the members of the Union of Banking Mediators