The number of courts of law will be decreased, IPN reports, quoting a bill approved by the Cabinet on February 17.

The bill provides for the merger of the 42 local courts of law into 15 new entities. The rights and obligations of the absorbed courts of law will be transferred to the created courts, in accordance with the Civil Code of the Republic of Moldova, while the Commercial District Court and the Military Court will stop work on April 1, 2017.

According to Minister of Justice Vladimir Cebotari, the restructuring is stipulated in the Justice Sector Reform Strategy, which says that the institutional capacities of the courts of law will be strengthened, their independence will be increased, while the costs will be cut.

The minister noted that the reorganization does not cover the appeals courts and the Supreme Court of Justice.

The law will take effect on January 1, 2017, while the reorganization will take place gradually, until 2027.