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Tariff

TARIFF FOR MEDIATION FEES OF THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION CENTRE OF THE “MEDIATION ACADEMY”

Mediation fees and costs

  1. The parties to a dispute subject to the Dispute Resolution Centre shall pay a Registration Fee, a Mediation Fee (“Mediation Fee”) and a Costs Deposit, as well as all costs associated with the mediation.

Registration fee

  1. /1/ The party or parties submitting the application for mediation shall accompany the application with a document for payment of a non-refundable registration fee of BGN90, which shall ensure the commencement of the mediation preparation activities in accordance with the Mediation Rules.

/2/ The registration fee shall cover the administrative costs for the initial processing of the mediation application and for the organisation of the preparatory actions prior to the mediation, the local postage and other costs for the initial summoning of the parties, and the costs for technical services such as copying, printing, scanning of documents up to a total of 50 pages, the appointment of a mediator and the initial familiarisation with the case.

Mediation fee

  1. /1/ The mediation fee includes the administrative costs of the Dispute Resolution Centre for the mediation procedure, the mediator’s remuneration and expenses.

/2/ The mediation fee

Method of setting the mediation fee

  1. The mediation fee is based on an hourly rate.

Amount of the mediation fee

  1. /1/ The amount of the fee for one hour of mediation in disputes with certain material interest is as follows:

a/ up to BGN 50 000 – BGN 100/hour for civil disputes; BGN 150/hour for commercial disputes;

c/ BGN 50 000 – BGN 100 000 – BGN 150/hour for civil disputes; BGN 200/hour for commercial disputes;

d/ over 100 000 BGN – 250 BGN/hour + 1% of the material interest.

“Commercial” disputes are disputes in which at least one of the parties is a trader according to Article 1 of the Commercial Law of the Republic of Bulgaria.

/2/ For disputes without a certain material interest, family disputes, disputes related to personal relations and maintenance, labour disputes, the mediation fee is 120 BGN/hour.

/3/ In case of participation of more than two parties, an additional fee of 30% of the amount of the fee for one hour of mediation for the respective type of dispute shall be charged for each additional party.

/4/ In case of mediation in another locality, the time for travel and preparation of the mediators shall be charged at 30% of the hourly rate for the respective type of mediation.

/5/ In the case of the parties’ choice of two mediators /in a mediation/, the fee under Article 5, paragraph 1 and/or paragraph 2 shall be increased by 50%.

/6/ A waiver of the mediation fees shall be allowed only in disputes with a very small pecuniary interest or with exceptional complexity of the legal and factual situation, with the consent of the mediator, and only on the basis of a prior agreement between the Dispute Resolution Centre and the parties.

Payment of the fee

  1. /1/ Prior to the mediation procedure, the parties must pay an initial mediation fee for at least four hours of mediation, which is non-refundable after the first meeting. The initial four-hour mediation fee includes time for any joint meetings and individual meetings that the mediator may schedule with the parties, as well as the mediator’s review of the case materials and written and oral communications with the parties and their representatives.

(2) After the first four hours of mediation, the mediator, in consultation with the parties, shall make an estimate of the estimated hours required to complete the mediation. The parties shall pay the mediation fee in advance in accordance with the estimate so made. If the prepaid fee exceeds the amount actually due, it shall be returned to the parties.

Deposit for expenses

  1. /1/ The costs deposit is the amount charged for the costs incurred in individual mediation cases for summons and notices, for service of papers, for international postage, for additional technical services such as copying, scanning, printing, translation, secretarial and other services, for the issue of certificates, etc.

/2/ The amount of the deposit for costs shall be determined by the Mediation Centre, but shall not be less than BGN 50, shall be communicated to the parties and shall be paid by them as soon as there is an agreement by both parties for the commencement of mediation and before the mediation. Mediation shall take place after payment of the deposit.

/3/ A further assessment of costs may be made by the mediator in consultation with the parties where this becomes necessary during the mediation. The parties shall pay the costs in advance in accordance with the assessment so made.

/4/ Upon termination of the mediation, the parties shall pay the costs in excess of those provided for in the assessment, respectively the Mediation Centre shall refund to the parties the unspent portion of the deposit, if any.

Refund of the mediation fee if the parties refuse mediation

  1. /1/ In the event that a party or the parties refuse to conduct a mediation, notified to the Mediation Centre at least 7 /seven/ days prior to the scheduled mediation session, the parties shall be refunded the full amount of the mediation fee paid, together with the deposit for expenses, if any, except for the amounts already spent by him/her for the preparation of the mediation. The registration fee shall not be refunded.

/2/ If a party or the parties refuse to mediate, notified to the Mediation Center at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled mediation session, the parties shall be refunded 50% of the mediation fee paid, together with the unspent balance of the deposit, if any, but not more than 50% of the deposit.

Final provisions

  • 1 The present Tariff for the fees of the Dispute Resolution Centre has been adopted by the Decision of the Manager of ACADEMIA MEDIA as of 01.03.2025.