Moldovan president says leadership started cleaning justice system, cannot stop at half way

Chisinau, 18 September /MOLDPRES/ - President Maia Sandu continues her public report on the work carried out during those four years of mandate as head of state. Maia Sandu this time referred to the cleaning of the justice system and the reforms started to this end.   

The head of state said that she had always spoken, not only at the elections from 2020, about how important was for the country to have justice, order and discipline.

„I promised that I would work to make justice and that the state’s institutions would work for the people. We have not deviated from this way, even if we still have to work. We had serious challenges, especially the war at our border; yet, the state’s institutions fulfilled their task and ensured the order and the citizens’ safety. We started the cleaning of the justice system and we cannot stop at half way. The justice is probably the most complicated sector and with most expectations – this must be like this. We will continue moving in the right direction, so that the law is observed and the justice works,’’ Maia Sandu said.  

The Moldovan president also said that, at present, the state’s institutions were no longer subordinated to private interests and were following the national interest. ‘’The justice system in our state have never been fully functional. Politically subordinated for much time and corrupted by those who wanted to seize the state, this sector was kept far from the true reforms. Even if the independence was returned to it following the removal of the oligarchic system, it did not have the wish and capacity to clean itself of corruption. Many people of the system tried to make use of the independence, in order to extract even more personal benefits illegally. It is clear for everybody that one cannot succeed in the fight against the corruption with a system where there are corrupt judges and prosecutors. For this reason, we started the change from here, from the cleaning of the justice system. The self-management bodies were cleaned: the Superior Council of Magistracy, and the Superior Council of Prosecutors, which are in charge of further ensuring the independence, integrity and functionality of the justice system. The process of cleaning of the Supreme Court of Justice started. Most judges with integrity problems left and we will soon have a court made up only of members who have passed the process of evaluation of the integrity,’’ the Moldovan president also said.       

„Presently, we can say that the mafia group, grown during 30 years, which was acting based on interests, influences and corruption in justice, no longer exists. This chronic infection still left toxic remains in the systems; yet, we will not give up fighting for their full elimination. We have results also on some important files; there are more rulings of conviction on the one-billion-dollar theft, including a final one. The Chisinau International Airport was returned to the state’s administration. We certainly made also mistakes in this complicated process; yet, at present, nobody at the leadership dictates to the justice system. We must finish the cleaning in the system; we should not stop at half of the way,’’ Maia Sandu added.     

On 20 August, President Maia Sandu, who is at the end of mandate, started the public report to the citizens. The head of state reports about the achievement of the goals assumed in 2020.