Chisinau judges take part in training course on judicial ethics

Thirty-four judges of the Chisinau Court of Appeals and of district courts of law are participating in a training course on the judicial ethics and reform in Moldova organized by the U.S. Government and the Supreme Council of Magistrates (SCM). The main lecturer at the two-day seminar is Judge D. Brooks Smith from the U.S. Federal Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (court immediately below the Supreme Court in rank), who contributed to reforming the judicial system in such countries as Russia, Bulgaria, Albania, Latvia etc. At a news conference on November 1, the judge stressed that an independent and unbiased judiciary is extremely important for any judicial system in the world. D. Brooks Smith also said that it is very important that the people consider the judiciary system as competent, transparent and reliable. Speaking about the connection between the salary and professional ethics, D. Brooks Smith said that the judges should be paid well so as they are not forced to look for additional sources of income, as this will hinder them from effectively fulfilling their duties. SCM president Nicolae Clima said that the Council has worked out a new Code of Judicial Ethics that will be adopted soon. Unlike the present Code of Professional Ethics, the draft code establishes conduit standards that are in line with the honor and dignity of the judge in a broader and more explicit manner. The Code contains a special rule regarding the possibility of a judge objecting to judging a case and a stipulation that bans the judge from using the phone during hearings and deliberations. At one of the next sittings, SCM will consider the possibility of banning the judges from having tête-à-tête meetings with one of the sides involved in the trial, Nicolae Clima said. According to Laurence T. Vetter, director of the Threshold Country Plan for Moldova, the U.S. Government provides assistance to the judicial system of Moldova by pilot programmes implemented in the courts of law, contributing to the renovation of buildings and modification of functionaries’ work programme and providing office equipment. A piece of software for managing the dossiers is projected to be worked out in the future. It will enable the public to have access to court judgments through a webpage, Laurence T. Vetter said. According to Transparency International’s 2006 Corruption Perception Index, the judicial system in Moldova is the second most corrupt institution in the state.