ReSPA and SIGMA are inviting representatives of the administrative authorities and the administrative judiciaries to a regional conference, for identifying possible solutions for overcoming the challenges identified in the recent SIGMA study on the functioning of administrative judiciaries in the Western Balkans as well as for ensuring more consistent application of the rights stipulated in the European Convention on Human Rights. Colleagues from the region as well as experts from EU member states, European Commission and Council of Europe are invited to contribute to the discussions by providing their views and experiences.
Bridging Justice and Governance: Strengthening Accountability and Oversight Through Co-operation
- Date
- 10-11 September 2025
- Location
- Bar, Montenegro
About
Speakers
Gregor Virant
Head of the SIGMA Programme
Grigory Dikov
Senior legal advisor, European Court of Human Rights
Edith Zeller
Administrative judge at the Administrative Court of Vienna
Vivian Lenos
Judge at the High Social Security Court, the Netherlands
Karim Salem
Council of Europe/CEPEJ expert, administrative judge at State Council of Egypt
Snježana Horvat Paliska
Judge of High Administrative Court of Republic of Croatia
Timo Ligi
Senior Policy Advisor, SIGMA
Boris Ristović
Programme Manager, ReSPA
Jose Diaz
Senior Policy Advisor, SIGMA
Andrej Kmecl
Judge at the Supreme Court of Slovenia
Agenda
Panel discussion: Key trends in the development of administrative judiciary and administrative court procedure: useful insights for judges as well as public officials.
Panel discussion: Deciding on the merits - what are the obstacles and how to overcome them?
Conclusions from discussions: the way forward?
Presentations
Read the presentations from the event
- 01. Overview of Key Findings of SIGMA Paper, By Timo Ligi
- 02. Judicial review of administrative action in the case-law of the ECtHR, by Grigory Dikov
- 03. Mediation as a Tool for Efficient Administrative Justice Current Practices and Promotion Strategies, by Karim Salem
- 04. The administrative loop in The Netherlands, by Vivian Lenos
- 05. Recent developments in administrative law in the Netherlands, by Vivian Lenos
- 06. Deciding on the merits - The Austrian way, by Edith Zeller
- 07. Deciding on Merits in Administrative Dispute in Croatia, by Snježana Horvat Paliska
Further reading
- Judicial reviews in Austrian Administrative Jurisdiction: resolution of disputes on the merits of the case
[Albanian] [BCS] [English] [Macedonian] - New Handbook on legal reasoning in administrative disputes in Montenegro [English] [Montenegrin]
- Council of Europe/CEPEJ website for mediation tools, including the Handbook promoting mediation to resolve administrative disputes in CoE member states
