Two civil society candidates undergoing external evaluation for the position of member in the Disciplinary Board

The Ministry of Justice has submitted to the Judicial Vetting Commission two civil society candidates for the position of member in the Disciplinary Board of Judges, for the purpose of conducting integrity assessment. Today, the Commission officially notified Dorian Pînzaru and Natalia Paustovscaia of the initiation of the external evaluation process.

Along with the notification, the Commission provided the candidates with the following forms, which are to be completed and submitted within seven days from the date of receipt.

• The Declaration of assets and personal interests for the past 5 years;
• The Declaration of close oersons within the judiciary, prosecution service, and public administration.

Additionally, the candidates received the Ethics Questionnaire, the completion of which is voluntary.

Upon receipt of the completed documentation, the Commission will initiate the information-gathering phase, from both public and private sources. This will include accessing relevant information systems and requesting data from competent institutions. The Commission will then conduct a thorough analysis to assess whether the individuals under evaluation have demonstrated conduct consistent with professional ethical standards throughout their careers, whether any conflicts of interest have occurred, and whether their asset declarations are accurate and justified by lawful income. At the conclusion of the verification process, the Commission shall adopt, for each individual case, a reasoned decision determining whether the candidate has passed or failed the evaluation.

The evaluation of candidates for positions in the two Judicial Boards of the Superior Council of Magistracy is conducted pursuant to Law 26/2022, regardless of whether the candidates come from within the judiciary or from civil society.

General statistics

Since the beginning of its mandate, the Judicial Vetting Commission has received 181 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 Of these, 50 individuals have either resigned or withdrawn from competitions, and 4 have previously passed the pre-vetting process.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 58 are currently ongoing.

‍