Machidon stays interim prosecutor general despite winning competition
Although Alexandru Machidon won the competition for the position of Prosecutor General, he is still serving in the interim role. Dumitru Obadă, the President of the Superior Council of Prosecutors (CSP), stated that Machidon will be able to assume his full mandate only after he successfully completes an external assessment of his ethical and financial integrity, and after the presidential decree appointing him to the position is signed.
Alexandru Machidon is currently serving as the acting Prosecutor General until a validated report from the vetting commission is received and a decree from President Maia Sandu is issued. This was stated by Dumitru Obadă during the "La 360 de grade" show on Radio Moldova.
The President of the Superior Council of Prosecutors (CSP) emphasized that he has requested the vetting commission to expedite the integrity verification process for Alexandru Machidon, given that he holds the highest position within the prosecutor's office system.
"We have communicated with the members of the Vetting Commission to make it clear that preparing a report on Mr. Machidon is our top priority. While other colleagues are also undergoing the vetting procedure, Mr. Machidon’s position is the most significant within our hierarchy, which is why it’s crucial to receive a definitive answer regarding his status. We do not have a specific deadline from the vetting commission, but we have been assured that they recognize the priority and are doing everything possible to complete this process," Obadă added during the radio show.
Once the commission completes its report, it will be submitted to the CSP for approval.
"Regardless of whether the vetting results in a positive or negative opinion, it is ultimately the CSP that decides whether to proceed with the evaluation of ethical and financial integrity. If Alexandru Machidon does not pass the assessment, we will return to the initial position and initiate a new competition for the role of prosecutor general," explained the head of the CSP.
Alexandru Machidon, who has 17 years of experience in prosecution, won the competition organized by the Superior Council of Prosecutors (CSP) for the position of head of the Prosecutor General's Office on August 19. He earned a score of 8.86 points, surpassing his opponent, Victor Furtună, the interim head of the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, who received 8.23 points.
The competition for the position of prosecutor general was announced on June 12, and applications were accepted until July 21. This position became vacant following the appointment of Ion Munteanu as a judge at the Supreme Court of Justice.
Since 2016, the prosecutor general was elected by the Superior Council of Prosecutors for a term of seven years.
