Minister of Justice Fadei Nagacevschi is in Strasbourg to discuss with representatives of the Venice Commission, including its president, Gianni Buquicchio, the justice reform in the Republic of Moldova, IPN reports. Prime Minister Ion Chicu has said at a press conference on Monday that these discussions are necessary "in order to have a clear and coordinated agenda and not to get into situations when we send a rough draft to this commission and receive a negative opinion, thus losing half a year of this reform.”

The prime minister stated that a modified concept of the judiciary reform was submitted to the Venice Commission last week. The concept retains the element of extraordinary vetting of prosecutors and judges, but in compliance with constitutional norms.

Asked by journalists what is the Government's stance on the blockage in the judiciary (after the General Assembly of Judges removed from office some CSM members, while the Superior Council of Magistrates/CSM does not recognize this decision), Ion Chicu, has replied that no power in the state can interfere in the judiciary. "We do not go as our predecessors to the judges’ meetings, we do not tell anyone to stand up to greet us or kiss our hand. It is an absolutely independent branch of power," the prime minister said.

Ion Chicu expressed confidence that competent people from these institutions would get organized so that this branch of power "works according to the Constitution, in the interest of the country, without involving in its activity other branches of power". The prime minister has also mentioned that the absence of the minister of justice from the CSM meetings is motivated, as he is currently concerned with the justice reform.