Teresa Siudem: Will the office be willing to compromise?

Mediation has existed in administrative proceedings since 2017, but when it has been used, it has been rare. The rule is that when a citizen or business disagrees with a decision of an authority, they file an appeal to a higher court. Cases often end up in administrative courts, and resolutions can take years.

Meanwhile, there are issues, for example, in the areas of construction law and spatial development, that could be resolved through mediation. The recent amendment to the Code of Administrative Procedure actually requires the authority to review the case for possible resolution in this way. It also identifies areas of law in which mediation may be used.