Candidates for membership of the Superior Council of the Judiciary and the Superior Council of Prosecutors will be subject to integrity testing. This means that a special commission which will also include foreign experts will check how the candidates’ declared incomes are in accord with their actual financial condition. A legislative proposal to this effect was presented by Justice Minster Sergiu Litvinenco at a press conference.

“As you all know, the terms of the current Superior Council of the Judiciary and the Superior Council of Prosecutors are about to expire. In the former’s case, in addition to the end of the term, amendments to the Constitution will enter into force on 1 April 2022, which, among other important aspects, will change the composition and term of office of SCM members, from 4 years to 6 years. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice is finalizing the Concept of Extraordinary External Evaluation of Judges and Prosecutors. This is a reform that aims to rid the justice system of compromised and inefficient people”, said Sergiu Litvinenco.

The integrity verification proposal has been submitted to the Venice Commission for expert assessment, and on Monday it will be published on the Ministry’s website. If the Venice Commission returns its opinion in December, the proposal could be adopted by Parliament already by the end of the year. Between January and February, conditions will be created for setting up the evaluation commission and from February to April, the actual evaluation could take place.

“Only those who pass the integrity test will be admitted to the contest”, declared Litvinenco. According to the Minister, it’s important that by the time that the extraordinary evaluation starts – around the middle of next year – “clean” self-governing bodies are in place.