To have an equitable law enforcement system in the Republic of Moldova, all judges, prosecutors and also police officers should be fired and hirings should follow on a contest basis, or at least based on an integrity test, considers lawyer Victor Pantaru. In a news conference at IPN, he said that reforms cannot be done with the same people.

“Nobody reinvents the wheel here. There are integrity tests that are taken by public figures. A specialist can examine this test and decide if the person is upright or not,” stated Victor Pantaru.

According to him, young judges who are not affected by corruption and influence peddling have entered the legal system and this is something positive. “I believe in the new judges who enter the system. Among the old judges there are also good judges who weigh a lot before passing a judgment,” said the lawyer.

Victor Pantaru also said that the practice when prosecutors who, being dissatisfied with the decisions or actions of judges, submit applications to the Superior Council of Magistracy and ask to withdraw the immunity of judges and prosecute these is alarming. This affects the independence of the judge, especially when the prosecutor forms part of the process.

The situation worsens when the judge is to be re-confirmed to post after five years of work. “If a prosecutor comes before you with a case and you acquit the person and show that the prosecutor didn’t do something or did something incorrectly, that judge does not have chances to get a positive appraisal from the Prosecutor’s Office. It is unimaginable for a prosecutor to give grades to a judge in a state with the rule of law. The judges should struggle for individual reputation and for their reputation as a professional group,” stated the lawyer.

Victor Pantaru said that to have equitable justice, the announced reforms should be really implemented and should not remain stated only.