Judges’ vetting continues: Four public hearings scheduled for October 15 and 16

As part of the ongoing external evaluation process, four judges have been invited to public hearings on October 15 and 16. The Judicial Vetting Commission has sent official notifications to judges Ana Panov and Silvia Cecan of the Central Court of Appeal — who are subject to re-evaluation after the Superior Council of Magistracy rejected the Commission’s reports — as well as judge Andrei Mocanu, interim vice president of the Căușeni District Court, and judge Ion Pâcaleu, interim president of the Bălți District Court.

The notifications outline the integrity concerns identified by the Commission during its review, which will be addressed during the hearings. All invitees are undergoing evaluation or re-evaluation in accordance with Law no. 252/2023.

The hearings will take place in a hybrid format before evaluation panels B and D, each composed of three Commission members, both national and international. A detailed schedule will be announced once all invited judges confirm their availability.

The role of public hearings in the evaluation process

Public hearings are a crucial stage in assessing judges’ integrity under the Commission’s Rules of organization and functioning and the legislation on extraordinary external evaluation. They give judges the opportunity to clarify financial and ethical integrity matters identified by the Commission and to actively participate in their own evaluation. The Commission does not assess judges’ professionalism, as it falls outside the scope of the evaluation.

Attendance at a hearing is a right of the judge, allowing them to present their perspective and provide additional information. Judges may also choose not to participate; in such cases, the Commission will make its decision solely based on the information collected during the evaluation process.

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