ÎCCJ postpones again the lawsuit against the Government regarding judges’ and prosecutors’ outstanding salary payments

The High Court of Cassation and Justice once again postponed, on Thursday, September 3, 2026, the issuance of a final decision in the case against the Government and the Ministry of Finance concerning the payment of judges’ outstanding salary entitlements. The new date was set for September 17.

On the same day, the court is also expected to rule on the Government’s requests to refer questions to the Constitutional Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union. The Executive is seeking clarification on whether a court may impose additional budget allocations and is requesting that the proceedings be suspended pending a possible CJEU decision.

The case is at the appeal stage, after the Bucharest Court of Appeal admitted, on May 5, the action brought by the High Court of Cassation and Justice and ordered the Government and the Ministry of Finance to pay the outstanding salary entitlements, including through a budget adjustment. The amount at stake is approximately five billion lei.

The Bucharest Court of Appeal also set penalties for delays in enforcing the ruling. The arrears stem from 25% salary increases, applied retroactively from 2018, following court decisions. The Government is challenging the obligation, citing its exclusive powers regarding the drafting and amendment of the state budget.