The CSM’s Prosecutors’ Section postpones until Friday the resumption of the vote on referring the case of Prosecutor General Cristina Chiriac to the Judicial Inspection

The Prosecutors’ Section of the Superior Council of Magistracy postponed until Friday the resumption of the vote on referring the case of Prosecutor General Cristina Chiriac to the Judicial Inspection. On Wednesday, the vote ended with three votes in favor and three against, while one vote was declared invalid.

The discussion arose from the unprecedented move by the Prosecutor General’s Office to request the transfer of a case pending before the Craiova Court of Appeal. The prosecutors on the Superior Council of Magistracy argued that this initiative could raise concerns regarding prosecutors’ independence and called for the legality of the prosecutor general’s conduct to be reviewed.

The meeting was also marked by challenges to the participation of interim Justice Minister Cătălin Predoiu. Superior Council of Magistracy prosecutor Claudiu Sandu argued that, as a member of a dismissed government, Predoiu has powers limited to administering the ministry and should not vote on the Superior Council of Magistracy. The minister stated that there was no legal impediment to his participation or to exercising his right to vote.

Christina Chiriac’s participation was also challenged, since any potential referral to the Judicial Inspection would concern her directly. The request to postpone the meeting in order to obtain documents from the Craiova Prosecutor’s Office was rejected.