A judicial system for examining cases of corruption will be created in the Republic of Moldova. This will consist of the Anticorruption Court and an Anticorruption Panel that will be set up at the Chisinau Appeals Court. The Supreme Court of Justice will try the appeals against decisions passed by the Anticorruption Panel of the Appeals Court. Parliament gave a first reading to a relevant legislative proposal put forward by President Maia Sandu, IPN reports.

Under the bill, the Anticorruption Court, which will employ 15 judges, will examine all the cases of corruption or related cases and the legality of the documents issued by the National Integrity Authority, if substantial differences between the earned incomes, costs and the obtained property are identified. It will also deal with requests to confiscate unjustified property for the benefit of the state.

The Anticorruption Panel of the Chisinau Appeals Court, which will consist of six judges, will try the appeals against sentences given by the Anticorruption Court.

The members of the two institutions will be selected at a public contest held in two stages – pre-selection of candidates by an ad-hoc commission and selection of candidates by the Superior Council of Magistracy.  The commission will consist of three international experts proposed by the development partners and three representatives of civil society named by the SCM. After the winners of the public contest are designated, the SCM will ask the President to confirm or transfer judges for a six-year term.

The legislative proposal is to be given a second reading by Parliament. It will take effect when it is adopted in the Official Gazette, except for the provisions on the duties of the two institutions, which will come into force when the Anticorruption Court and the Anticorruption Panel start work, with at least five judges at the first and at least four judges at the second.