Moldova’s top court struggles with judge shortage and backlog
The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) in Moldova is currently operating with only nine out of the 20 judges required by law, amidst a backlog of over 6,000 cases.
The crisis has prompted the Court to prioritize appeals registered in 2022, systemic cases, and those related to corruption. According to SCJ President Veronica Mihailov-Moraru, the public should begin to see improvements in the Court’s activity over the coming year. However, corruption cases might soon be transferred to lower courts to relieve pressure on the SCJ.
To address the shortage, the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) has announced a competition scheduled for May 15 to fill the vacancies. Out of 21 applicants, only five have been admitted, including Prosecutor General Ion Munteanu. Still, CSM member Ion Guzun remains skeptical, stating that appointing all 20 judges by the end of 2025 is unlikely.
The reform of the SCJ, adopted by Parliament in March 2023, reduced the number of judges from 33 to 20 and opened eligibility to professionals from academia and other branches of law, such as prosecutors. Despite these changes, the process of filling the vacant positions remains slow.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
