The amendments adopted by the Parliament to the Law on Advocacy do not affect the practice of the lawyer profession. They exclusively target aspects related to the functioning of the Union of Lawyers of Moldova and aim to solve issues signaled by citizens. The clarifications were made by the deputies present at a meeting convened at the Ministry of Justice, after the lawyers announced a strike and requested that the changes voted last week not be promulgated. Representatives of the lawyers also participated in the meeting, reports IPN.
According to the legislators, several citizens have complained about the imposition of fees for the examination of complaints regarding disciplinary offenses – practices that could limit access to justice. Therefore, the amendments aim to increase transparency in entering the profession and in the application of disciplinary procedures. It was noted that some proposals, such as diversifying the composition of committees with members who are not officials or political figures, or not renewing mandates, reflect good practices existing in other countries, according to a press release from the Ministry of Justice.
Decisions within the committees of the Union of Lawyers of Moldova will continue to be made by the majority of lawyers – 8 out of 11 members. Other provisions included in the amendments are to be further analyzed and, if necessary, improved. The parliamentarians emphasized that the legislative changes will not have immediate effects, which allows for further consultations and, possibly, adjustment of the regulations.
The parties have agreed to continue the dialogue within a working group composed of representatives from the Parliament and the Bar Association of Moldova, with the aim of identifying legislative solutions that respond to the realities of the system and the public interest.
Uniunea Avocaților i-a solicitat președintei țării, Maia Sandu, să nu promulge modificările la Legea privind avocatura, acuzând că un amendament propus de deputata Efimia Bandalac și votat de Parlament afectează independența, libertatea și autonomia profesiei de avocat. Uniunea a convocat Congresul extraordinar al avocaților pentru data de 25 iulie, iar până atunci, începând cu 15 iulie, a declarat grevă generală.
