President Maia Sandu said the perception of the people in the country is that the court decisions are sold as if at an auction and this perception is close to reality in many of the cases that reach the court. In a meeting with members of the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM) on May 27, the official harshly criticized the judges owing to whom the Republic of Moldova lost cases at the ECHR, generating huge state costs, and also the practice of differentiated decisions and the delay in examining resonant cases, IPN reports.
“Who stops these illegalities that cost us a lot and prevent us from developing the economy, bringing investments, creating jobs and opportunities here, at home, so that the people do not leave? Who will stop the judges owing to whom we pay hundreds of millions or even billions because they pass illegal judgments?” asked Maia Sandu.
She noted the judicial system at present endangers the security of the Republic of Moldova. Everyone knows that some of the judges take illegal decisions, fulfilling particular orders or trying to illegally gain money. There is also serious concern about the cases lost at the ECHR. In 2001-2020, the European Court passed 473 judgments against the Republic of Moldova. At least one violation of the Convention by Moldova was identified in 413 cases of these. The damages caused to the Government rise to tens of millions of euros. More cases against the state deriving from recent illegal decisions are pending.
President Sandu also invoked the differentiated decisions taken by judges. “For example, Vasile Botnari, who illegally seized and deported people, was fined 88,000 lei. In the case of Shor, it seems that the trial will last for another 100 years. If things in the system do not change, the state of affairs will remain the same,” said Maia Sandu, making also reference to the judges involved in the fraud known as “Laundromat”.
“I’m for the independence of justice and my goal is to reach this objective. But the independence of justice should go hand in hand with responsibility. You are those who should be interested the most in removing the people who discredit the system”.
