Judge Vladislav Clima, the president of the Chisinau Appeal Court, decided to leave the system. His resignation was accepted by the Superior Council of Magistracy on March 18, IPN reports.

The announcement about the resignation was made by the acting president of the SCM Dorel Musteață.

Vladislav Clima was named president of the Chisinau Appeals Court by a decree signed by Igor Dodon on September 2, 2020, for a four-year term. His appointment was harshly criticized by the then opposition and by civil society, which said that judge Clima is one of those who upheld the decision to invalidate the Chisinau mayoral elections of 2018.

In May 2021, President Maia Sandu annulled the decree to appoint Vladislav Clima as president of the Chisinau Appeals Court, arguing the Superior Council of Magistracy violated the legal procedures and allowed an unacceptable conflict of interest when it proposed Clima for this post.

The Presidential Office appealed the Râșcani Court’s decision by which President Maia Sandu’s decree to annul the decree by which judge Vladislav Clima was named president of the Chisinau Appeals Court was annulled. The Chisinau Appeals Court asked to transfer the complaint to another court and the Supreme Court of Justice moved the case to the Bălți Appeals Court.