Venice Commission to review Moldova’s lowered voting threshold for vetting experts
The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova has officially submitted the complete draft law regarding the appointment of international experts for judicial and prosecutorial vetting to the Venice Commission.
Speaker Igor Grosu announced the submission on March 12, prior to a legislative session. The move follows recent changes to the selection process for the bodies responsible for evaluating the integrity of judges and prosecutors.
"We have dispatched the entire project, not just the amendment. We now await the Commission’s opinion," Grosu stated. He anticipated that a delegation might visit Chișinău to consult with relevant stakeholders and institutions.
The legislative adjustment, adopted on March 5, allows the appointment of international experts by a simple majority of 51 votes if the 61-vote qualified majority is not met. Following this change, experts Bernard Lavigne and Herman von Hebel were appointed with 53 votes. Addressing concerns over the speed of the reform, Grosu explained the decision was necessary to bypass institutional deadlocks. He noted that the authorities are prepared to make further corrections if the Commission’s feedback is negative.
The amendments have faced scrutiny from the opposition and civil society, who warned that lowering the voting threshold could impact the perceived independence of the vetting process. Markus Lammert, spokesperson for the European Commission on democracy and rule of law, previously emphasized that justice reforms must remain transparent and inclusive. He urged Moldovan authorities to seek international expertise to ensure alignment with European standards.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
