Constitutional law expert Teodor Cârnaț said the initiation of the procedure for assessing the work of the suspended prosecutor general represents revenge and political interference in justice. For their part, MPs of the ruling party said the arrest of Alexandr Stoianoglo and the assessment of the way he fulfilled his duties are separate processes and the goal of the assessment is to restore the image of the Prosecutor General’s Office, IPN reports.
According to Teodor Cârnaț, the procedure for assessing the work of the suspended prosecutor general is compromised from the start as the assessment commission consists of representatives of political players.
“Such a decree that comes after detention and arrest is not humane. It looks like revenge. It is an assessment initiated by a political subject, the President of the Republic of Moldova, in relation to an institution that forms part of the judicial power. It is a conflict of interest and political interference in the administration of justice. The assessment commission consists of a member delegated by Parliament and of a member representing the Ministry of Justice, which are two political entities,” constitutional law expert Teodor Cârnaț stated in the talk show “Ghețu Asks” on TV8 channel.
Ex-Deputy Parliament Speaker Alexandru Slusari is also critical of such a move. He said that as Stoianoglo is under house arrest, the assessment will lack credibility.
“The suspended prosecutor general will have to provide explanations, to take part. We wonder if this is not a reserve plan in case the inquiry does not produce results,” said Alexandru Slusari.
For their part, representatives of the government and some of the political commentators said the arrest and assessment of Alexandr Stoianoglo are parallel procedures and the suspended prosecutor general should not be excluded from the extraordinary assessment of judges and prosecutors as this process is designed to clean the system.
“The political factor resorts to a precautionary measure. Being unable to control the judicial process involving Stoianoglo, the political factor returns to the promises to assess the institutions. I do not see why Stoianoglo should be spared. The situation is not an ordinary one. If a year passes and the Prosecutor General’s Office does not start to work, the government will be blamed and society will say that nothing was done,” said political commentator Vlad Țurcanu.
“We should not mix up these two events. The assessment should be carried out based on the contract we have with society. We received the vote for this purpose. The investigation is a parallel process. An evaluation is anyway needed. The inquiry and arrest refer to the PGO’s work. No one is above the law,” said PSAS MP Virgiliu Pîslariuc.
President Maia Sandu on November 4 requested the Superior Council of Prosecutors to launch an assessment of Alexandr Stoianoglo’s job as Prosecutor General. Under the law, an assessment commission is set up and this reports to the Council. If SCP determines the results to be negative, it can recommend the President to dismiss the Prosecutor General.
