Even if the system puts up resistance, the vetting of prosecutors and judges will continue, said President Maia Sandu. According to the official, the system is incapable of self-cleaning and the external assessment of the integrity of judges and prosecutors is the only way to remedy the situation in the justice sector. The head of state admits that the reform is slower than the authorities anticipated, but says that the government is determined to complete the process of cleaning up the justice system, IPN reports.
President Sandu said that some of the representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office and courts of law are making considerable efforts to discredit the vetting process. The stake of these people is to prevent the reform of the justice system in order to continue the abuses committed in recent years.
“The resistance to the reform is high. The resistance is not at the ministry, but among judges and prosecutors who do not want to break away from the old system, in which some of them did whatever they wanted, collected money illegally, through abuses. These people are trying to discredit the reform, to discredit the government, in the hope that other people will come to power and will allow them do what they have been doing for 30 years. We are moving forward, even if at a much slower speed than we would like. There is no other way. We admit that this reform is delayed, but we have not heard an alternative from anyone,” Maia Sandu stated in the “NordNews Live” program.
The official noted that the vetting process must be completed in 2025, when the first effects of the external assessment will be felt. Thanks to vetting, only upward people will remain in the system. Also, young professionals will be brought in to fill the vacant places.
“We must continue to assess the integrity of judges and prosecutors because the system is not capable of cleaning itself. If it was capable, we would not come up with this proposal. Even if it takes time, the process will continue. I hope that in a year or a year and a half, we will see the end result of this cleaning process. Subsequently, we will have new people who will come to the system, who will need training, professional development. It is important to have honest people, but they must also be good professionals. The road is long, but it is the only way on which we will insist,” explained Maia Sandu.
The President of the Republic of Moldova says that in relation to the judiciary, she honors her obligations provided by the Constitution and appoints judges at the proposal of the Superior Council of Magistracy. Maia Sandu assures that she does not hold a grudge against any judge and does not favor anyone.
“I have the role of appointing judges on the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistracy. In the most transparent way, I expressed my point of view when the names of people about whom I had questions were presented to me. I returned those files to the SCM. If the SCM decides that these people deserve to remain in the system, I’m obliged, according to the law, to sign the decrees. All my discussions with the judges are public, transparent. I do not promote anyone and I have nothing against anyone,” said President Sandu.
