04. 04. 2025.

As part of the celebration of 20 years of work of the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes, a significant event was held on April 4, 2025, at the premises of the National Bank of Serbia. The event brought together an international conference, an introductory training for newly appointed conciliators and arbitrators, and the first interactive training session.

The event was officially opened by the Director of the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes, Dr Ivica Lazović, who presented the Agency’s achievements and the challenges it has faced. He emphasized the importance of promoting peaceful labour dispute resolution as a mechanism for achieving fair outcomes in a fast and efficient manner.

The programme included the presentation of awards to institutions and organizations that have made a significant contribution to the development of peaceful dispute resolution in Serbia. Agency plaques were awarded to the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs; Acting Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Directorate Nikola Banjac; the Employers’ Union of Serbia, represented by President Miloš Nenezić; the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia, represented by Vice President Duško Vuković; the UGS “Nezavisnost” Confederation, represented by President Čedanka Andrić; the Association for Labour Law and Social Insurance of Serbia, represented by Vice President Professor Dr Senad Jašarević; and the Initiative for Development and Cooperation, represented by Director Miodrag Nedeljković.

A key highlight of the event was the exceptional lecture by Professor Dr Kostas Papadimitriou, professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Athens, and former President of the Greek Organisation for Mediation and Arbitration (OMED). Professor Papadimitriou shared valuable experiences from Greece, emphasizing the importance of social dialogue and the role of peaceful dispute resolution in preserving stable labour relations.

The event continued with two panel discussions dedicated to conciliation and arbitration. Experienced conciliators and arbitrators shared their practical insights and highlighted the key steps in peaceful dispute resolution procedures. The panel Conciliation in Practice featured Professor Dr Senad Jašarević, Miljko Valjarević, and Ružica Erceg, while the panel Arbitration in Practice included Srdjan Dobrica, Slađana Andrić, and Sanja Stanišić. Both panels were moderated by Jovana Spaić Erdeljan, coordinator at the ILO. These discussions were particularly valuable for the newly appointed conciliators and arbitrators, providing them with real-world examples and practical advice on handling procedures and potential challenges.

Participants also had the opportunity to attend a lecture by Milena Tasić titled Conciliation and Mediation in Labour Disputes – Conflict Management Approaches and Mediator Skills, based on training delivered by the ILO Centre in Turin.

With this event, the Republic Agency for the Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes continues to celebrate its important anniversary while strengthening cooperation with domestic and international partners to enhance social dialogue and foster fairer labour relations.