A new tool intended for practitioners and future jurists has been launched at the Law Faculty of the State University of Moldova. The volume “Criminal Code. Code of Criminal Procedure. Republic of Moldova” brings together in a single work the updated criminal and procedural-criminal legislation, supplemented with references from the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the European Court of Human Rights.
The work, published in Romania by Universul Juridic Publishing House, is signed by Professor Tudorel Toader from “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University in Iasi, by Professors Sergiu Brinza and Igor Dolea, both holding habilitated doctor degrees, and by Associate Professor Gheorghe Renita. The launch event brought together representatives from the academic and legal fields, practitioners and students, with discussions also focusing on the relationship between legal norms, doctrine and court practice.
Sergiu Brinza: The legal norm must be viewed together with judicial practice
University professor Sergiu Brinza, one of the authors of the work and representative of the criminal law school at USM, emphasized that the volume proposes an approach in which the legal norm is not presented in isolation, but is followed by relevant benchmarks from judicial practice.
“The legal norm should be followed by judicial practice,” explained Sergiu Brinza, referring to the inclusion of the jurisprudence of the ECHR, the Constitutional Court, and the Supreme Court of Justice. According to the professor, the work was designed to be used by judges, prosecutors, and lawyers, as well as students, master’s and doctoral candidates. At the same time, he drew attention to the pace at which criminal legislation changes, noting that the changes that occurred even during the preparation of the volume required updating the material.
The contribution of Professor Sergiu Brinza to the criminal law dimension of the work was also noted by Tudorel Toader, who mentioned the collaboration of several years between the two and appreciated its result.
From the text of the law to the way it is applied
The work brings together in a single volume the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Republic of Moldova, supplemented with relevant jurisprudential references. Each norm is placed in the context of judicial practice, with references to the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the European Court of Human Rights, providing readers with a useful tool for understanding and applying criminal legislation.
Tudorel Toader explained that the idea of this presentation method stems from the necessity for the law to be read and applied in relation to both constitutional requirements and European values and standards. Therefore, the model that was previously used in Romania, appeared as a similar instrument for the Republic of Moldova.
In turn, Professor Igor Dolea emphasized the practical utility of the work and the difficulty of maintaining its relevance in the face of frequent legislative changes. In his opinion, the final value of the volume will be determined by the extent to which it will help jurists reach correct and equitable solutions.
At the same time, Gheorghe Renita mentioned that the work has passed through several academic evaluation filters and was approved as a synthesis. He emphasized the role of jurisprudence in the learning and application of law, appreciating that studying law without referring to judicial practice risks remaining a practice-less exercise.
A bridge between the academic environment and judicial practice
During the debate at the book launch, the need for a closer connection between legal research and practitioners’ activity was emphasized. Participants noted that the existence of court decisions is not sufficient if they are not systematically analyzed and integrated into the process of interpreting the norms.
On the other hand, during the discussions, the work was described as a tool that can create a connection between the legal norm and the reality in courtrooms. Also, the gathering around the criminal and procedural-criminal norms, the European jurisprudence, the constitutional one and the practice of unifying the Supreme Court of Justice was highlighted.
During the event, the academic cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and Romania was highlighted. The Dean of the Law Faculty of USM, Sergiu Baiesu, noted the importance of projects carried out by author teams from both banks of the Prut and expressed his hope that such collaborations will continue in other areas of law.
A work for practitioners, teachers and students
“The Penal Code. The Code of Criminal Procedure. Republic of Moldova” is addressed to judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and other practitioners, but also to university staff, researchers, and law students. By bringing together legislative texts and jurisprudential benchmarks, the authors aim to provide a tool that facilitates both the understanding of the norms and their application in specific cases.
During the launch, the authors indicated that the project is not seen as completed with the release of the 2026 edition. The evolution of legislation and jurisprudence requires the continuous updating of the work, and Sergiu Brinza pointed out the prospect of starting work on a new edition.
The volume was launched on September 18, in the “Alexandru Cojuhari” Hall of the Law Faculty of the State University of Moldova, the event being organized in partnership with the Universul Juridic Publishing House and the Romanian Association of Legal Book Publishers.
