RESOLVING CONFLICT SITUATIONS IN THE FUNERAL SERVICES SECTOR DURING WAR, RECOGNITION OF UNKNOWN BURIALS IN A SPECIAL PERIOD

Abstract

The article sets out the legal and organizational foundations for resolving conflict situations in the funeral services sector during war and the procedures for recognizing unknown burials in a special period. It argues that the combination of force-majeure circumstances, resource constraints, and overlapping competences of central authorities, local self-government bodies, military administrations, law-enforcement and forensic institutions generates disputes over access to services, tariffs, the sequence and location of burial, observance of religious rites, and the handling of families’ personal/medical data. A public-administration model is proposed that includes: crisis SOPs and interagency protocols (death notification, identification, exhumation/reburial, transport), transparent tariff-setting methodologies and mechanisms for state/municipal commissioning of basic services, a single digital portal for family requests, integrated registers with GIS mapping of burial sites and chain-of-custody traceability, as well as ADR/mediation channels involving NGOs and religious communities. Emphasis is placed on procedural guarantees: the right to be informed and heard, access to legal aid, independent oversight (ombudsman, public councils), avenues for appeal without automatically staying critical actions, and compliance with personal data protection requirements.The article separately details algorithms for the recognition of unknown burials: classification of locations (mass/single/field graves), standardized documentation, forensic identification (DNA, dental and anthropological markers), preservation of physical evidence, and alignment with international humanitarian and human-rights standards. It proposes establishing regional coordination centers and mobile teams, providing MHPSS support to families, standardizing contracts with private providers, and introducing PSO contracts for a minimum guaranteed package. For results-based management, KPIs are defined: timeliness of identification, share of disputes resolved pre-trial, completeness of registration and marking of burials, observance of cultural- religious practices, and quality of communication with families. The conclusion is that a systemic, normatively anchored model with transparent procedures, digital tools, and interagency coordination reduces conflict, ensures dignified burial, and strengthens trust in institutions during wartime.