The Pre-Vetting Commission has concluded the second and final round of public hearings of candidates for membership to the Superior Council of Prosecutors (SCP). Five prosecutor candidate and one civil society representative participated in the public interview to clarify aspects relevant to the evaluation process.
Therefore, from 24 to 29 May 2023, the prosecutor candidates Gheorghe GRAUR (Chisinau Prosecutor’s Office), Olesea VÎRLAN (Ialoveni Prosecutor’s Office), Elena ROȘIOR (Anenii Noi Prosecutor’s Office), Eduard PANEA (Leova Prosecutor’s Office), Vasile PLEVAN (Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office) and Rodica CIOBANU, the candidate proposed by the Academy of Sciences, were interviewed. Among the relevant topics of the evaluation process, addressed by the members of the Commission during the hearings, were the source of the financial means used by the candidates to acquire goods and assets, the difference between the income earned and expenses incurred, as well as the non-disclosure of certain aspects in the declarations of assets and interests submitted to the National Integrity Authority. The Commission members also asked questions relating to the ethical integrity of the candidates, and these parts were examined in closed session, where there was a risk to harm the privacy of the candidate, his/her family members or other individuals involved.
A total of 13 candidates attended the two rounds of hearings and only one candidate requested to be evaluated solely on the basis of the material gathered by the Commission, deciding not to attend the public hearing.
In the next period, the Pre-Vetting Commission will draw up and adopt the evaluation decisions on the SCP candidates. At the same time, on May 18, 2023, the Commission launched the evaluation of a new group of nine non-judge candidates for membership in the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM), proposed by the Parliament.
Note: 18 candidates applied for the competition to SCP, including 17 prosecutors from the General Prosecutor’s Office, territorial and specialized prosecutors’ offices and one civil society representative. Out of these, one candidate passed the evaluation, 13 other candidates are awaiting the decision of the Pre-Vetting Commission, so far. Four candidates to the SCP failed the evaluation on the grounds that they withdrew from the competition or did not submit the mandatory documents required by law within the prescribed time limits.
