Tatiana Răducanu said that she decided to resign from the Pre-vetting Commission and the Vetting Commission assessing prosecutors in order to preserve her dignity and her status as a resigning judge. She also argued that she wants to avoid the degeneration of this controversy and to allow the Vetting Commission to focus on its tasks, instead of being drawn into counterproductive discussions, IPN reports.
“For over two years, I served as a member of the Pre-vetting Commission. During this period, I was the target of a number of smear campaigns orchestrated from behind by discredited people, which also had an impact on my health. For these reasons, I hesitantly agreed to be part of the Vetting Commission for prosecutors. But I never expected that I would be attacked gratuitously and publicly by the head of an anticorruption institution,” Tatiana Răducanu said in a statement sent to the press.
According to her, the circumstances referred to by the head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office Veronica Dragalin didn’t take place. “I didn’t have discussions with the former judge to whom she referred. Moreover, I voted to lift his immunity so that he could be prosecuted. Also, I wasn’t involved in the identification of the current headquarters of the Superior Council of Magistracy and I don’t know to whom that building actually belonged previously,” said Tatiana Răducanu.
She regrets that she was not contacted by anticorruption prosecutors to explain the issues mentioned by the APO chief. “My explanations would have confirmed from the start the groundlessness of any suspicions. I also regret that ahead of the start of their assessment, anticorruption prosecutors initiated criminal proceedings that, according to the law, they weren’t entitled to initiate. However, I’m open to cooperate on any legally initiated investigation to clarify the accusations made against me,” noted Tatiana Răducanu.
“From my experience of several decades, I can tell you that vetting, in justice, is a reform that must continue. It is the most effective way to get rid of discredited people in the judiciary, and the recent virulent attacks confirm once again that the reform must be carried out till the end. I want to thank everyone who supported me and I wish the bodies involved in vetting courage and uprightness. The proper functioning of justice and the future of the Republic of Moldova depend on you,” said Tatiana Răducanu.
With the votes of 54 MPs, Parliament on Thursday accepted Tatiana Răducanu’s resignation from the position of member of the Pre-vetting and Vetting Commissions.
