Politics

MOLDOVA NEEDS EXTERNAL PARTNERS' BACKING IN REALIZATION OF JUSTICE REFORM - PREMIER CHICU

26 december, 2019

Without the external partners' support, Moldova will be not able to implement the judiciary reform, which is "very complicated and contradictory", Moldovan Prime Minister Ion Chicu stated in an interview to the IPN news agency on Tuesday.

"We will hardly manage this huge job without the Europeans' backing. That's why I and Minister of Justice Fadei Nagacevschi recently went to Strasbourg where we held discussions with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejcinovic Buric and with Venice Commission President Gianni Buquicchio. I addressed to the partners and received assurances of their support. As a result, Gianni Buquicchio visited Chisinau shortly after that, and Council of Europe experts will come here in January to render assistance in the reform implementation", said the Moldovan Prime Minister.

In his words, most of speculations around the reform issue have been related to the recent approval of amendments to the Law on the Superior Council of Magistracy [SCM].

"The amendments stipulate the increase of the SCM strength from the current 12 up to 15 members, done to start appointing judges, and so that this institution could begin functioning in earnest. The SCM is the most important body in the judiciary system, and this is where the reform must proceed from. While in Strasbourg, I asked the Venice Commission's conclusion on the proposed amendments, but then our Parliament unexpectedly voted for them in a final reading. That news caused a real embarrassment. But that happened only because the Parliament was accomplishing its Autumn-Winter Session and was going on a recess - we did not want to lose time. Anyway, the Law will not come into force until it is promulgated by the President. Accordingly, the process will not be completed until we receive the Venice Commission's conclusion", said the Prime Minister.

Touching on the previous Government's actions with respect to the judiciary reform, Ion Chicu said that the Sandu Cabinet worked much over the reform conception, which was eventually sent to the Venice Commission but was not approved by it because it failed to fully meet constitutional norms.

"But the judiciary reform was the previous Government's priority - like it is the incumbent team's priority, too. If we fail to advance in this direction, all the rest development measures in Moldova will be simply pointless", said Prime Minister Ion Chicu.

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