The members of the pre-vetting commission will examine the information about the incomes and costs of the candidates asked from banks and from the State Tax Service and the investigative press reports about the financial situation of the potential members of the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM) and the Superior Council of Prosecutors (SCP), said the chairman of the pre-vetting commission Herman von Hebel. He noted that the candidates who will not pass the pre-selection stage will not lose their current jobs, but will be unable to holds the posts of SCM and SCP member, IPN reports.
The chairman said the pre-vetting commission started work two months ago and in the period set down the criteria based on which the candidates will be assessed. In accordance with the law, those who want to take up as SCM or SCP member receive an ethics questionnaire and the property and personal interests statement. The file will be examined by the pre-selection commission and the data provided by the candidates will be compared with the data offered by the State Tax Service and banks.
“The judges and prosecutors who stand as candidates must report their incomes for the past five years so that we understand the context of the financial situation and the origin of their earnings. We will receive information from banks and from the authorities, such as the State Tax Service. We will analyze the information that will be offered by the candidates and also information from other sources, such as civil society and investigative journalists. More exactly, we will analyze data from anyone in Moldova who possesses relevant information about these candidates. The candidates must fill out the statements with correct and complete information as we will examine rather thoroughly their financial situation,” Herman von Hebel stated in the program “Thursday with Liliana Barbăroșie” on the public TV channel Moldova 1.
According to him, if a candidate fails to pass the pre-selection stage, this cannot take part in the contest. The commission’s decisions can be challenged in court. The pre-vetting process is to be completed by the end of this year.
“We will examine the professional and financial integrity of candidates. If a candidate is disqualified, this will not lose the job, but will be later unable to hold the post of SCM or SCP member as it goes to a new job. The law stipulates the challenging procedure and this is an important aspect in an equitable process. This means that we have the obligation to take well-founded decisions. The decision can be challenged, but during a very short period of time – within five days of the date our decision is taken. The Supreme Court needs to take a decision on the challenge during a short period of time and the whole process cannot be delayed,” stated Herman von Hebel.
The pre-vetting commission that examines the professionalism and integrity of candidates for SCM and SCP members consists of three members proposed by the parliamentary groups depending on the number of their seats and three members fielded by the development partners of the Republic of Moldova. The commission is chaired by Dutch jurist Herman von Hebel.
