New candidates for the Supreme Court of Justice undergoing external evaluation

Two additional candidates registered in the competition for the vacant positions of judge at the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) have been referred by the Superior Council of Magistracy to the Judicial Vetting Commission for external evaluation. Today, the Commission initiated the evaluation process for SCJ candidates judge Sergiu Stratan from the Chișinău Court and lawyer Valeriu Pleșca.

In the notification concerning the initiation of the evaluation, the Commission requested that the candidates submit their declaration of assets and personal interests, with updated data for the past five years, including expenses incurred during that period. Additionally, they must provide the Ethics Questionnaire and a declaration listing close relatives who are currently employed or have been employed in the last five years within the judiciary, prosecution services, or public service. These documents must be submitted to the Commission within 10 days from the date of notification.

The Commission will review the declarations and questionnaires, conduct additional investigations, and organize hearings. Following these steps, a report will be drafted, containing a conclusion regarding the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of the financial and ethical integrity criteria, in accordance with Law 65/2023. The report will include a recommendation for either passing or failing the evaluation and will be submitted to the Superior Council of Magistracy.

Currently, eight candidates are undergoing the evaluation process for the position of judge at the Supreme Court of Justice. These include judges from various court levels, prosecutors, and lawyers.

General statistics

Since the beginning of its mandate, the Judicial Vetting Commission has received 183 individuals for evaluation, based on the three laws governing the external evaluation process. Of these, 50 individuals have either resigned or withdrawn from competitions, and 4 have previously passed the pre-vetting process. To date, the Commission has completed 69 evaluations, while another 60 are currently ongoing.

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