The Independent Commission for assessing the integrity of candidates for the positions of members in the self-administration bodies of judges and prosecutors (the Pre-Vetting Commission) announces that it adopted the first decisions on passing the evaluation with respect to three judicial candidates for the positions of members in the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM).
According to the Commission, Livia Mitrofan and Maria Frunze, judges at the Chișinău Court, Center office, and Ioana Chironeț, judge at the Chișinău Court, Ciocana office, whose public hearings were held on 7 October 2022, passed the evaluation. All three judges are running for the position of member of the SCM, while Maria Frunze is also running for the position of member of the Board for the Selection and Career of Judges. As regards the three candidates, the Commission decided that they meet the ethical and financial integrity criteria, therefore they passed the evaluation. This conclusion is part of each of the three reasoned decisions, adopted unanimously by the Commission members and submitted to the evaluated candidates and to the Superior Council of Magistracy.
During the evaluation process, information from numerous sources was analyzed to assess the financial and ethical integrity of the candidates, such as the National Integrity Authority, the State Tax Service, the General Inspectorate of Border Police, financial institutions, public institutions, open sources, such as social media, investigative journalism reports and reports from civil society organizations. All received information was thoroughly checked to ensure veracity and relevance for the Commission. The unclear issues were tackled in the written questions asked to the candidates and during the public hearing.
According to Law 26/2022, the evaluation decisions are published unless, within 48 hours from receiving the decision, the evaluated candidate notifies the Pre-Vetting Commission of disagreeing with the decision being published. Hence, if the candidate agrees, the decision is published on the websites of the SCM and of the Pre-Vetting Commission.
At present, the Pre-Vetting Commission evaluates 23 candidates to SCM positions who are career judges and are still in the competition. The Commission is now at the stage of public hearing of the candidates. Out of 23, nine candidates had already been heard and decisions were issued on three of them. Decisions on six other candidates are still to be delivered. You can access the recording of the hearings on the website of the Pre-Vetting Commission (www.vetting.md) under the Transparency/Hearings section.
