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7 clusters · 18 sources · 44 days · First seen · Last updated
Moldovan parliamentary and judicial reforms
Overview
The Moldovan Parliament has undertaken several legislative and structural reforms. Initially, the Parliament underwent a significant restructuring of its standing committees following requests from the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS). This reshuffle included new leadership for the Committee on Economy, Budget, and Finance, the Committee for European Integration, and various parliamentary delegations. Following these organizational changes, the Parliament voted in the first reading on a draft law to reform the selection process for Constitutional Court judges. Developed by Veronica Roșca, president of the Legal, Appointments, and Immunities Committee, the initiative incorporates recommendations from the Venice Commission and European Commission experts. The proposed legislation aims to increase transparency by extending the selection timeline from 45 days to three months, starting the process three months before a mandate expires. It also introduces a public evaluation phase for candidate CVs and requires public interviews to ensure the integrity of judicial appointments. In a subsequent second reading, lawmakers approved the bill to reform the selection and appointment process for Constitutional Court judges, establishing a framework for public consultations, integrity checks, and the publication of candidate CVs to facilitate civil society oversight. Additionally, Parliament passed legislation to amend laws regarding the independence of the National Bank of Moldova (BNM). This measure transposes European norms to ensure the central bank can operate without instructions from the Parliament or Government, prohibiting direct financing of the public sector by the bank. Recent judicial developments have challenged these reform efforts. The Constitutional Court ruled that legislative amendments allowing for the appointment of international members to judicial and prosecutorial vetting commissions via a reduced voting threshold were unconstitutional. Regarding the Judges Evaluation Commission, established under Law no.
Entities
Constitutional Court of Moldova · European Union · Parliament of Moldova · Herman von Hebel · Action and Solidarity Party
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Constitutional Court's ruling is not retroactive and applies only to future appointments.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Constitutional Court of Moldova declared provisions of the Law on the External Evaluation of Judges and Prosecutors unconstitutional.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The contested amendments allowed candidates to be approved with 51 votes instead of 61.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Herman von Hebel was appointed to the Prosecutors’ Evaluation Commission using the amended voting rules.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Ion Chicu accused the Constitutional Court of applying double standards compared to a 2021 ruling.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In 2021, the Court annulled the appointments of four CSM members: Elena Belei, Carolina Ciugureanu-Mihăiluță, Valentina Coptileț, and Ion Crețu.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Dorian Istratii stated the amendment was improperly attached to a law regarding the protection of judges and prosecutors.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The ruling does not lead to the automatic cessation of the Prosecutors’ Evaluation Commission's activities.
Timeline
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[POLITICS] 2 sourcesJudges Evaluation Commission members to end mandates in Moldova
Marcel van de Wetering and Willem Brouwer will end their terms at Moldova's Judges Evaluation Commission on December 31, 2026, as part of the country's EU accession process.
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[POLITICS] 2 sourcesMoldova: Legislative challenges face prosecutor vetting and independence
Moldovan lawmakers propose terminating the mandates of key vetting commission members following a Constitutional Court ruling, while judicial officials warn new independence laws could delay criminal probes.
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[POLITICS] 4 sourcesMoldova Constitutional Court strikes down vetting commission appointment rules
Moldova's Constitutional Court ruled that legislative amendments allowing lower voting thresholds for vetting commission appointments are unconstitutional, affecting future judicial evaluations.
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[POLITICS] 3 sourcesMoldova Parliament passes reforms for Constitutional Court and National Bank
Moldova's Parliament has passed reforms to increase the transparency of Constitutional Court judge appointments and to strengthen the independence of the National Bank of Moldova in line with EU standards.
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[POLITICS] 6 sourcesMoldova judicial reform faces delays in vetting and staffing
President Maia Sandu and EU officials discussed Moldova's judicial reforms in Chișinău, noting delays in prosecutor vetting and staff shortages as key challenges for EU accession.
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[POLITICS] 3 sourcesMoldova Parliament votes to reform Constitutional Court judge selection
Moldova's Parliament has passed a first-reading draft law to reform Constitutional Court judge selection, introducing public integrity checks and extending the selection timeline to three months.
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[POLITICS] 4 sourcesMoldovan Parliament undergoes major committee leadership reshuffle
Moldova's Parliament has reshuffled key committee leadership, including Marcel Spatari heading the economy committee, while the Ministry of Justice and UNICEF launched a new juvenile justice plan.
Sources
breakingnews.md · democracy.md · ea.md · logos-pres.md · moldova1.md · moldovalive.md · news.yam.md · politik.md · radiochisinau.md · radiomoldova.md · safenews.md · tv8.md · tvrmoldova.md · voceabasarabiei.md · zdg.md · ziar.md · ziarulnational.md · ziarulprofit.ro
This summary has been updated 6 times: see revision history