Violeta Cojocaru, Gheorghe Avornic and Teodor Carnat were confirmed as members of the Supreme Council of Magistrates by Parliament for a four-year term, IPN reports.

The candidates were selected by the Parliament’s legal commission at a contest.

The Communist MPs said that Gheorghe Avornic was the cousin of Deputy Speaker Liliana Palihovici. In order not to question the results of the vote, Liliana Palihovici abstained. 

Gheorghe Avornic is a lawyer. He is the president of the Union of Jurists of Moldova and vice president of the International Union of Jurists. 

Teodor Carnat is a lecturer at the Law Faculty of the State University of Moldova. He also serves on the Chisinau Council as an unaffiliated council.

Violeta Cojocaru is a doctor of law and university lecturer. He was awarded the order “Emeritus Person” in 2009. Since 2010, he has headed the Law Office “Helsinki Committee”.

The Supreme Council of Magistrates consists of 12 members – six are elected by the general Assembly of Judges, three are ex officio members, while three are members of Parliament.