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Notification

We hereby inform the parties and interested members of the public that, pursuant to the amendments to the Labor Law (Official Gazette of Montenegro“, Nos. 074/19 of 30 December 2019, 008/21 of 26 January 2021, 059/21 of 04 June 2021, 068/21 of 23 June 2021, 145/21 of 31 December 2021, 077/24 of 05 August 2024, 084/24 of 06 September 2024, 086/24 of 10 September 2024, 122/25 of 22 October 2025, 165/25 of 31 December 2025, 051/26 of 15 April 2026), which entered into force on 23 April 2026, labour disputes are no longer within the competence of the Centre for alternative Dispute Resolution. Accordingly, an employee who considers that his or her right arising from employment or based on employment has been violated is obliged, before initiating proceedings before the competent court, to submit a proposal for the amicable resolution of the dispute before the Agency for Peaceful Resolution of Labour Disputes. In accordance with the legislative amendments, the Centre will suspend the admission and registration of new cases relating to labour disputes. Cases currently pending before the Centre, will be handled in accordance with the transitional and final provisions of the Law.

For further questions or clarifications, please contact us at:

email: centarzaars@centarzaars.me

phone: 020/206 350; 020/265 349; 020/265 359

Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution

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MEDIATION A KEY MECHANISM FOR FASTER, SMARTER AND MORE EFFICIENT PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

“The conference brought together the key actors of mediation, the judiciary and authors”

The conference “Advantages of resolving intellectual property rights disputes through mediation”, which was held today at the Hilton Hotel in Podgorica, brought together representatives of mediation, the judiciary, authors, authors’ organizations and the business community, confirming that mediation is increasingly taking the place of one of the key mechanisms of the modern legal system.

The event, organized by the Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Ministry of Economic Development, opened an important dialogue on the need for a more efficient, faster and sustainable approach to the resolution of disputes in the field of intellectual property, an area of ​​strategic importance in the era of digitization and the global market.

“Mediation as a response to the challenges of modern business”

In her opening address, the director of the Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Maja Golović Vojinović, pointed out that traditional court proceedings often represent a long and expensive process that can further damage business relations.
“In areas that depend on cooperation, innovation and the exchange of knowledge, the preservation of business relationships has immeasurable value. This is exactly where mediation shows its full strength,” said Golović Vojinović, stressing that as many as 624 cases from the field of intellectual property have been received before the Center since 2021, and that it is necessary to additionally encourage authors to more actively use this mechanism to protect their rights.

“Faster, cheaper and more efficient, the way to more accessible justice”

Director General of the Directorate for Criminal and Civil Legislation in the Ministry of Justice, Jelena Grdinić, emphasized that disputes in this area often last for years and carry high costs, while mediation enables faster, more economical and more discreet resolution.
“Mediation gives the parties control over the process and opens up space for creative, business-viable solutions that court rulings cannot offer,” Grdinić pointed out, adding that the changes to the Law on Alternative Dispute Resolution from 2025 are aimed at making mediation the first choice in resolving certain types of disputes.

Intellectual property as the foundation of the knowledge economy”

The Director General of the Internal Market and Competition Directorate at the Ministry of Economic Development, Jasna Vujović, pointed out that intellectual property is one of the key pillars of the economy based on knowledge and innovation, and that Montenegro has made significant progress in this area, with a high degree of compliance with European Union law.
“In a world where innovation and knowledge are the key capital, mediation enables disputes to be resolved faster, easier and at lower costs, while preserving business relationships and protecting sensitive data,” said Vujović, emphasizing that the modern approach to protecting intellectual property rights also implies a stronger application of alternative mechanisms.

“Common conclusion: mediation as a standard, not an alternative”

During the panel discussions, experts in their fields Dragana Ranitović, Dijana Raičković, Itana Folić, Ana Stanković Mugoša and Ibrahim Smailović additionally emphasized the importance of increasing awareness of the benefits of mediation, improving the capacity of mediators and more intensive cooperation between institutions, so that this dispute resolution model would be even more accessible and effective in practice.

It was concluded that mediation is not only an alternative, but an indispensable tool of the modern legal and economic system, which contributes to faster realization of justice, strengthening of legal certainty and development of a competitive business environment.

The conference ended in a constructive atmosphere, with a clear message that the future of resolving disputes in the field of intellectual property lies precisely in mediation.

MEDIATION A KEY MECHANISM FOR FASTER, SMARTER AND MORE EFFICIENT PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Read More »

Public Call for Applications to the List of Trainers for Basic Mediatior Training

Pursuant to Article 39 of the Law on Alternative Dispute Resolution (“Official Gazette of Montenegro”, Nos. 77/20 and 53/25) and Article 1 of the Rulebook on the Training Programme for Mediators (“Official Gazette of Montenegro”, No. 105/20), the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution hereby announces the following:

PUBLIC CALL

For candidate applications for the List of Trainers for basic mediator training

I Subject of the Call

The Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution invites interested experts with experience in the field of mediation to submit applications for the preparation of the List of Trainers who will conduct basic training programmes for mediators.

II Application Requirements

Candidates must meet the following requirements in order to be entered on the List of Trainers: at least 10 years of training experience; proof of previous experience in conducting training programmes/training sessions; proof of completed specialized training programmes for trainers.

at least 10 years of training experience;

proof of previous experience in conducting training programmes/training sessions;

proof of completed specialized training programmes for trainers.

III Required Documentation

Along with the application for the public call, candidates are required to submit: a curriculum vitae (CV) with a detailed overview of experience in mediation and training work;

a curriculum vitae (CV) with a detailed overview of experience in mediation and training work;

a copy of the diploma confirming completed higher education;

proof of professional development in the field of alternative dispute resolution.

IV Deadline and Method of Submission of Applications

Deadline for submission of applications: 15 days from the date of publication of this call.

Method of submission: Applications shall be submitted in person or by registered mail to the address of the Centre: Serdara Jola Piletića Street bb, Business Centre “Palada”, Podgorica, marked: “Application for the List of Trainers”.

V Selection Procedure

The Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution will verify fulfilment of the requirements and prepare the List of Trainers within 30 days from the expiry of the application deadline. Selected trainers will be engaged in accordance with the Centre’s training plan for the current and following years.

Contact person:

Zlatko Lalević, Head of the General Affairs Service

e-mail:zlatko.lalevic@centarzaars.me

Tel. No.: 068 835 902

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The Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Foreign Investors Council concluded a Cooperation Agreement

The Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution and the Foreign Investors Council concluded a Cooperation Agreement, signed by the Director of the Centre, Maja Golović Vojinović, and the Executive Director of the Council, Arijana Nikolić Vučinić.

The Agreement aims to strengthen the use of alternative dispute resolution methods, including mediation as an efficient mechanism for reducing pressure on the judicial system and improving access to justice. In this regard, the implementation of joint educational programmes, research and promotional activities is planned, with the aim of encouraging greater use of commercial mediation among business entities and foreign investors.

“The signing of the Agreement represents an important step towards strengthening the role of mediation in the legal system. Through joint work, we will have the opportunity to provide professional support to the members of the Council, with the aim of ensuring a more efficient method of resolving disputes arising from their business operations. Our common goal is to make the legal system more efficient and more accessible. Through education and the promotion of international standards, we wish to encourage the wider use of alternative dispute resolution methods in Montenegro’s business community,” said Maja Golović Vojinović, Executive Director of the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution.

“Our member companies often point out the importance of practical mechanisms for dispute resolution. Today’s Agreement formalizes cooperation in this area, as mediation can be an important instrument contributing to greater legal certainty, strengthening the rule of law and creating a more stable business environment, which is ultimately in the interest of the development of the Montenegrin economy as a whole,” said Arijana Nikolić Vučinić, Executive Director of the Foreign Investors Council.

Representatives of the Centre and the Council stated that the aim of the cooperation is to develop commercial mediation as an efficient method of resolving disputes, reducing costs and preserving good business relations among business entities. It was noted that this initiative represents an important step towards strengthening legal certainty and improving the country’s investment reputation, which is particularly important in the context of alignment with European standards and Montenegro’s accession process to the European Union.

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Mediation in action: Basic Court and Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution intensify cooperation

With the aim of affirming and promoting mediation as an efficient method of dispute resolution, the President of the Basic Court in Podgorica, Željka Jovović, and the Executive Director of the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Maja Golović Vojinović, held a working meeting today.

The meeting was attended by Milena Brajović, Deputy President of the Basic Court; Mirza Ademović, Head of the Civil Division; Borislav Ivanović, Judge of the Non-Contentious Division; and Ivan Knežević, Head of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Department of the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution.

At today’s meeting, the participants discussed the role of the court and judges in referring parties to mediation, how judges can encourage the wider use of mediation in everyday dispute resolution practice, as well as the procedure for the confirmation of settlements by regular courts.

Maja Golović Vojinović, Executive Director of the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, emphasized that the introduction of mediation has created the formal preconditions for providing more effective legal protection to individuals and legal entities. She expressed her gratitude to the President of the Basic Court in Podgorica for her commitment to promoting mediation as an efficient method of dispute resolution. In this regard, experience has confirmed that referring parties to mediation during ongoing civil proceedings, produces excellent results, both in terms of the success of mediations initiated in this way and in terms of the faster acceptance of mediation as the most suitable out of court method of dispute resolution.

Željka Jovović, President of the Basic Court, emphasized the excellent cooperation between the Basic Court in Podgorica and the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution. In order to achieve wider use of mediation, the role of the court and judges is very important, as judges should, through their understanding of the institute of mediation and active participation in its final phase, enable the interests of the parties to be met to the greatest possible extent.

The President of the Basic Court in Podgorica pointed out the importance of joint cooperation through the organization of seminars and training sessions, as well as project activities aimed at strengthening the institute of mediation in dispute resolution and the role of regular courts in procedures for confirming concluded settlements. She informed those present about the Pilot Project for Improving the Efficiency of Proceedings, led by the Basic Court in Podgorica, and, in that context, about the need to apply the Plan of procedural measures and the importance of the Centre as a partner in that process.

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Message from the Annual Conference of Mediators: „Mediation as the foundation of modern justice“

The Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution organized today, at the Hilton Hotel in Podgorica, the Annual Conference of Mediators, dedicated to strengthening the culture of dialogue and promoting mediation as a modern and efficient mechanism for dispute resolution. The conference brought together representatives of the judiciary, the business sector, the academic community, international organizations and professionals in the field of mediation.

The message from the Conference was that mediation is one of the most noble and efficient ways of resolving disputes, through a process based on trust, understanding and the willingness of the parties to jointly find sustainable solutions.

Reform Messages from the Ministry of Justice

The State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice, Sergej Sekulović, stated that the development of mediation is one of the strategic priorities of the Ministry. He recalled that, during 2025, the Law on Alternative Dispute Resolution was amended and improved, creating better conditions for a more accessible, efficient and predictable procedure.

“It is encouraging that an increasing number of citizens, business people and institutions recognize mediation as a faster, more efficient and more accessible alternative to court proceedings. The two-year Programme for the Development of Alternative Dispute Resolution 2023–2025 has also been implemented, and the Final Report on the implementation of this Programme provides key recommendations that should serve as guidance for the further improvement of mediation procedures. In the coming period, it is necessary to analyse the needs and possibilities for introducing mediation in certain administrative areas, such as disputes between citizens and the administration, to consider preparing manuals that would facilitate the use of this institute, and to work on more intensive training and professional development of mediators, but not only of mediators — also on the education of holders of judicial offices, who are a key partner in this process.”

Sekulović emphasized that mediation is not merely an alternative to court proceedings, but also a cultural change in the approach to resolving conflicts — a change that leads to greater public trust in the legal system and reduces the workload of courts.

“Our goal is not only to have a stable legal framework, but to ensure the real, broad and everyday use of mediation as an active instrument of justice. We want a society in which conflicts are resolved reasonably and constructively, and in which the legal system is based on efficiency, trust and cooperation. Mediation is not merely a form of procedure. It is a cultural and social change in the way of thinking, a call for dialogue instead of conflict, and for cooperation instead of confrontation. The Ministry of Justice remains firmly committed to supporting and further strengthening this change.”

Sekulović particularly emphasized that the Ministry of Justice gives its full support to the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, whose role is crucial in organizing procedures, professionalizing mediators, improving the quality of services and further affirming mediation as a reliable and efficient mechanism for dispute resolution.

Messages from the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution: Dialogue as the strength of justice

The Executive Director of the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution, Ms Maja Golović Vojinović, emphasized that, year after year, mediation is gaining an increasingly firm place in Montenegro’s legal culture. This is confirmed by the strong growth of trust among citizens and the business sector in this institute, reflected in the continuous increase in the number of cases, with around 15,000 mediation proposals submitted over the past two years.

“The core of every legal order is the need for efficient, fair and sustainable protection of rights. However, modern legal systems, including ours, face the challenges of overload, lengthy proceedings and rising costs. Therefore, through mediation, disputes are resolved in a faster, more humane and more constructive manner.”

She stated that the Centre is committed to promoting this institute in various areas, as well as to continuously improving the quality of services through the development of training programmes and strengthening the capacities of mediators.

“The Centre has conducted advanced training programmes for mediators, which will continue in the coming period with the aim of improving their knowledge and skills. As I have emphasized on several occasions, the work of the Centre rests on mediators and on their efforts to ensure that today’s Centre is recognized, both by the professional and general public, as an institution before which disputes are resolved through mediation in accordance with the law and the highest professional standards.”

The Director of the Centre also emphasized that the previous period was marked by intensive promotion of commercial mediation, strengthening of international cooperation, including the Memorandum with the AIRE Centre, partnership with GIZ and the signing of the Memorandum with the Ministry of Economic Development, as well as cooperation with the Ministry of Justice in the field of digitalization of the Centre and its connection to a single information system with judicial authorities.

Golović Vojinović emphasized that mediation is becoming an increasingly strong pillar of modern justice, while the Centre is the main institutional champion of its development.

“Our goal is a legal system in which we further develop mediation as a strong instrument of modern justice and jointly build a system in which dialogue and agreement are valued equally with a court judgment,” concluded Golović Vojinović.

International Cooperation – Key to the further development of mediation in Montenegro

A strong message from international partners confirmed that Montenegro holds an important place on the regional and European map of alternative dispute resolution.

Biljana Braithwaite, Programme Director of the AIRE Centre for the Western Balkans, greeted the participants of the Annual Conference of Mediators and expressed her wish for the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution to continue developing in an international direction. She stated that cooperation between CARS and the AIRE Centre would be further strengthened and that, in accordance with the signed Memorandum of Cooperation, joint activities would be carried out with the aim of improving mediation and alternative dispute resolution methods in Montenegro.

Anita Habuš, representative of the Centre for Peaceful Dispute Resolution of the Republic of Croatia, emphasized the value of regional cooperation and announced the implementation of joint training programmes for Montenegrin and Croatian mediators, aimed at improving professional standards.

Ivana Ninčić Osterle, Executive Director of the International Mediation Centre, praised the efforts made by the Centre for Alternative Dispute Resolution in promoting and affirming mediation, emphasizing that international support and cooperation are an important foundation for the development of this institute in Montenegro.

Common Vision

The Annual Conference of Mediators concluded with the message that the success of mediation is based on teamwork among institutions, professionals and international partners. It was emphasized that mediation, as part of a common vision of modern justice, remains one of the key instruments for strengthening a culture of dialogue, trust and constructive dispute resolution.

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