Moldova has a new judge to the European Court of Human Rights

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), meeting this week in plenary session in Strasbourg, elected yesterday (Tue, Jan. 22) five judges to the European Court of Human Rights, including Judge Mihail Poalelungi of Moldova. The list of candidates in respect of Moldova presented to PACE for consideration included the vice-president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Judge Mihail Poalelungi, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Maria Postoico, and Constitutional Judge Veaceslav Zaporojan. The candidates had been selected by a nominating commission from among 19 applicants. A similar nominating committee, established in early 2007, nominated Victoria Iftodi, Moldovan Ambassador to France, Victor Orandas, Judge at the Chisinau Economic Court, and Lilia Vasilevici, Judge at the Chisinau Centru District Court. However, on September 17, 2007, the ECHR Subcommittee for the Election of Judges rejected the list of candidates proposed by Moldova. ECHR judges are elected for a term of six years by the Parliamentary Assembly with a majority vote from a three-candidate list. Judges are assumed to be impartial arbiters, rather than representatives of any country.