The president of the Supreme Court of Justice Ion Muruianu, whose term in office expires in March, applied again for the presidency of the Court. Two more judges will compete for the post alongside Ion Muruianu – Constantin Gurschi and Nicolae Timofti, head of the Court’s secretariat Ecaterina Buzu has told Info-Prim Neo. The contest was announced in November. The deadline for applications was January 10, but it was extended until February 15 at the request of Minister of Justice Alexandru Tanase, who is an ex officio member of the Supreme Council of Magistrates. The Supreme Council of Magistrates assesses the candidates and chooses one of them, who is to be confirmed by Parliament. The president of the Supreme Court of Justice is named by Parliament within 30 days of the day the Supreme Council of Magistrates proposes the candidate. The legislative body can extend this term by 15 days if need be. The legislature can also reject the fielded candidate if there are incontestable proofs of the applicant’s incompatibility with the given post, that he had broken the law or that the legal procedures for selecting him were violated. In such a case, the Supreme Council of Magistrates is notified within 30 days. But if the Council puts forward the same candidate the second time, the MPs are obliged to accept him. The post of Supreme Court of Justice president is held for four years. Ion Muruianu was named to this post on March 29, 2007.