DUSHANBE, October 31, Asia-Plus - -Intermediate courts (arbitrations) will be set up on the basis of the legal support centers in some districts of the country, Asia-Plus has learned at Tajikistan’s High Economic Court.     

The source said that most likely, the parliament will consider and endorse the arbitration bill in January 2008.  According to him, the Tajik Branch of Open Society Institute/Assistance Foundation (OSI/AF) has already elaborated an alternative draft law on arbitrations.

He further added that legal support centers, which were established under financial support of international organizations and governments of foreign countries in 2003, have to date organized some 400 discussions and debates.  Local people have taken more than 2,000 legal advices at the centers.       

According to the source, legal support centers now function in Danghara, Ghonchi, Panj, Tursunzoda, Shahritus, Hissor, and some other districts of the country.  The UK Embassy in Dushanbe, the Government of Canada, UN FAO, as well as the Public Association Madad have provided support to these centers.  

Arbitration is an alternative mechanism for defending civil rights, and is a court in which a third person is chosen by the disputing parties themselves, to whom they willingly entrust the resolution of their case and whom they engage beforehand to execute it.