Judge Ion Cotea, of the Cahul Town Court, was suspended from post for a disciplinary deviation by a decision of the Superior Council of Magistracy that was approved on June 1, IPN reports.

The Disciplinary Board examined the disciplinary proceedings based on a notification from Prosecutor General Alexandr Stoianoglo, who said that the judge allowed the examination of criminal cases and passing of sentences to be delayed and didn’t meet the time limits for editing argued decisions, for setting preliminary hearings and for sending cases to a higher court. The notification makes reference to about 30 cases.

Ion Cotea was named judge in 1995. In 2000, by presidential decree he was appointed a magistrate until reaching the required age limit.

Last yearend, Ion Cotea in an interview spoke about the problems witnessed in the judicial system, saying that after devoting 25 years to the judiciary in Moldova, he ascertained with regret that during all these years he witnessed only the destruction of the legal system and non-transparent promotion of many persons to posts in the system.