* Interview with Mr. Zeno Şuştac, the vice-president of the Mediation Council
Reporter: What is your opinion on the mandatory introduction of mediation, starting on February 13th, 2013, of the mandatory information concerning mediation?
Zeno Şuştac: The measure of the mandatory introduction of the information concerning mediation, represents an absolute procedural, is an absolute first in terms of procedure for Romania, it is extremely beneficent in the context of our country's overall effort to align to the Western Standards in the area. It is, if you'll allow me to say so, a very clever trick designed to promote awareness of an alternative method for dealing with conflicts which has already become commonplace for decades in the developed countries, and firmly entrenched in their collective consciousness.
Romanian citizens will find out, absolutely free-of-charge - another complete first! -, about the possibility of developing their own solutions for the numerous cases that they are involved in, and for the lawsuits which overburden the courts.
Reporter: Will the courts see their workload reduced due to this procedure? Will the number of lawsuits drop?
Zeno Şuştac: The unburdening of the courts was the main reason why mediation was introduced, about five decades ago, in the United States. We can provide statistically relevant data, but we will confine ourselves to saying that, this benefit of mediation, as an alternative to the established means of bringing justice, through the court, has been the reason that the procedure has spread very quickly in the democratic societies, where access to justice is not just a guaranteed right, but also an integral part of citizens' conscience. Mediation has been introduced in Romania, as part of a pilot program in 2003, by the Americans, and now the European Union is the main promoter of the segmen
