Moldova lowers voting threshold to appoint international vetting experts amid transparency concerns
The head of Moldova’s judicial council warned that a recent change to the voting rules for appointing members of a key vetting commission could undermine the credibility of the country’s justice reform.
Speaking to TVR Moldova, Sergiu Caraman, president of the Consiliul Superior al Magistraturii, said the decision to lower the parliamentary threshold for approving international experts was adopted without broad public consultation and could weaken trust in the reform process.
Caraman acknowledged, however, that lawmakers may have acted quickly in order to improve the efficiency of the commission responsible for the external evaluation of prosecutors, which has so far delivered fewer results than expected.
Concerns over transparency
Caraman stressed that judicial reforms linked to Moldova’s path toward the European Union must be carried out through transparent procedures rather than political shortcuts.
“All measures related to the justice system must be drafted and adopted with full respect for fundamental principles, especially decision-making transparency,” he said.
The absence of a clear public explanation for the rule change, he added, has fueled speculation and given opponents of the reform an opportunity to question its legitimacy.
Parliament changes voting rules
The controversy followed a failed parliamentary vote on 26 February to appoint international experts Bernard Lavigne and Herman von Hebel to the commission evaluating prosecutors.
On 5 March, the Moldovan Parliament adopted an amendment in two readings on the same day. Under the new rules, if a candidate proposed by international partners fails to obtain the required 61 votes in the first round, lawmakers can vote again and approve the nomination with a simple majority of 51 votes.
The change applies only to international members of the commission. The appointment procedure for national members remains unchanged.
President Maia Sandu promulgated the amendment the same day, arguing that without the procedural change the appointment of experts could have remained blocked because the ruling majority lacks broader parliamentary support for justice reforms.
The following day, on 6 March, Parliament approved Lavigne and von Hebel with the votes of 53 deputies.
Constitutional court and EU reaction
On 9 March, the Curtea Constituțională a Republicii Moldova rejected a request from opposition lawmakers to suspend the legislative amendments. Judges said the applicants had failed to demonstrate the risk of imminent and irreparable harm.
Meanwhile, the European Commission indicated that Moldova should consider requesting an opinion from the Venice Commission on the legislative change.
According to Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert, transparent reforms in the justice sector remain essential for Moldova’s European integration.
Vetting process still slow
The commission responsible for evaluating prosecutors was created in November 2023 as part of the country’s wider judicial overhaul.
So far, however, only about 50 prosecutors have undergone external integrity checks, prompting calls for faster progress in the reform process.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
