Introducing the bill, Parliamentary Secretary Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici explained that the Centre for Mediation, which will be set up as a result of the Act, will not be another court. On the contrary, he explained, the centre will be a place where people can reach a compromise.

“In mediation there is no winner or loser because it is not a question of winning or losing. If you have the will to reach a compromise, then we are creating a place where this can be done easily,” he said.

He explained that one of the immediate benefits of mediation is that one reduces the degree of confrontation between all parties. Instead of confrontation, we are aiming for convergence, he said.

Another positive effect of mediation is that it will lead to an eventual reduction in the number of court cases being filed. Mediation is also available for those civil cases presently being heard by the court, he said.

“Two parties who go for mediation do not necessarily have to reach a compromise. If they do not manage to, they will not be penalised or in any way disadvantaged. They will just have to go through the normal judicial proceedings which take time,” he said.

He continued: “Admittedly, the wheels of justice take a long time to grind. Mediation has the advantage of starting the process which will reach a compromise. If this is not possible, it will be evident from the very beginning, so time is not wasted.”

Discussions on the bill will continue today.