Justice Minister: Harassment of judge undermines judicial independence
The situation involving Judge Ana Cucerescu, who faced intimidation while reviewing the case of Comrat Governor Evghenia Guțul, is very serious and poses a threat to the independence of the judiciary. This statement was made by Justice Minister Veronica Mihailov-Moraru during the "In Context" program on Moldova 1, on Wednesday evening, August 6.
The Minister of Justice, Veronica Mihailov-Moraru, described as “regrettable” the case of harassment to which Judge Ana Cucerescu was allegedly subjected and stressed the need for urgent measures by the authorities to investigate and sanction those responsible.
“This is a dire situation indeed, which threatens the independence and integrity of the judiciary as a whole. I am glad that the state institutions reacted vigilantly, including through the complaint filed by the magistrate”, stressed Veronica Mihailov-Moraru.
According to the minister, only sanctioning these actions can prevent similar cases in the future. She stressed that judges are under the protection of the state and must benefit from the support of law enforcement agencies in such situations.
“We must understand that such actions seriously affect the independence of the judiciary. All authorities must take immediate measures to investigate and sanction those involved,” said Veronica Mihailov-Moraru, on Moldova 1 TV.
The minister recalled that, in the draft law on anti-corruption courts, a package of additional guarantees has already been included to increase the protection of judges handling corruption cases or cases with major public impact.
“That law provided for a package of additional guarantees for the protection of judges, their family members, personal security and workplace security.”
Veronica Mihailov-Moraru welcomed the solidarity reaction of the Superior Council of Magistracy and other institutions and launched a call for courage and responsibility on the part of magistrates and prosecutors.
"I urge all judges, prosecutors and representatives of institutions to be courageous, to perform their work honestly and to report any attempt at intimidation," the minister said.
According to the same source, judges who handle high-profile cases must benefit from increased protection from the state, emphasizing, at the same time, that this mechanism must be applied to all magistrates, regardless of the type of file.
"The law on the anti-corruption court has already been adopted in final reading and provides for a package of additional guarantees for judges who examine corruption cases. But, in fact, any magistrate, any prosecutor must benefit from protection from the state," the minister pointed out.
Asked about the possible involvement of state actors or criminal groups in the campaign to harass the judge, the minister suggested that the pressures could be part of a broader plan, influenced both by the electoral context and the increasingly visible results of the judicial reform.
"We are on the eve of an electoral campaign, and this context intensifies events. We see that several high-profile cases are reaching their conclusion, sentences have been pronounced, including convictions, in corruption cases, which is causing certain groups to react," said the official.
The minister avoided saying who was behind these intimidation actions, but said that the investigation must identify whether it was about organized criminal structures, external influences or other coordinated sources.
"Who is directly involved and where these systemic plans come from, is to be determined by the law enforcement agencies. But it is clear that we need vigilance and rapid measures", Veronica Mihailov-Moraru pointed out.
We recall that today, August 6, magistrate Ana Cucerescu, who examined the criminal file of the Gagauzia Bashkan, Evghenia Guțul, notified the Police that for a long time she has been subjected to a wave of death threats, psychological pressure and attacks of unprecedented severity. The intimidation campaign to which Ana Cucerescu was subjected included nighttime phone calls, messages with macabre photos - showing murdered and decapitated people - and spread to the public space through disinformation.
The Head of the General Inspectorate of Police (IGP), Viorel Cernăuțeanu, described the intimidation actions as "unprecedented".
According to Ziarul de Garda, Ana Cucerescu has been active in the justice sector for 11 years and came to public attention after pronouncing two sentences in high-profile cases. This is the sentencing of Iurie Roșca, in August 2024, to six years in prison and the most recent decision – seven years in prison for the Bashkan of Gagauzia, Evghenia Guțul, pronounced on August 5, 2025.
