Moldova lawyers launch 10-day strike against justice reforms
Lawyers in Moldova launched a 10-day general strike today, despite yesterday's discussions with authorities regarding amendments to the Law on the Legal Profession.
As a form of protest, attorneys will no longer participate in court hearings, with the exception of urgent cases, such as those concerning the application or extension of pre-trial detention measures.
Lawyers continue to argue that the recently approved amendments undermine the independence and autonomy of their profession. They criticize the ban on charging fees for examining complaints submitted to the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission, the alteration of the Lawyers' Union's commission composition by including members appointed by the Ministry of Justice, the limitation of Union Council members' terms to a single period, and the prohibition of lawyers who have served on any commission or the Union Council in the last three years from running for election to commissions.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Justice, the MPs who attended yesterday's session stated that the amendments made by Parliament aim to address concerns raised by citizens, such as charging fees for examining disciplinary complaints—practices that could limit access to justice, the statement noted.
At the same time, according to the parliamentarians, some proposals, such as the inclusion of Ministry of Justice representatives in the Union's commissions and the non-renewal of terms, are in line with practices in other countries. Decisions within these commissions will continue to be made by a majority of lawyers.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
