---
title: "Moldova, EU clash over pace of judicial vetting ahead of report"
url: https://moldova1.md/p/85471/moldova-eu-clash-over-pace-of-judicial-vetting-ahead-of-report
published: 2026-09-16T10:42:00Z
language: en
author: "Liubomir Guțu"
section: "EU accession"
source: moldova1.md
---

# Moldova, EU clash over pace of judicial vetting ahead of report

> Divergences emerged between Brussels and Chisinau over the pace of judicial reforms on Wednesday, as Moldova's leadership resisted European Union calls to quickly fill over 160 vacant posts ahead of an upcoming enlargement report.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/d634538f-23b9-4728-a616-4cfe9f9505d2.jpg)

Divergences emerged between Brussels and Chisinau over the pace of judicial reforms on Wednesday, as Moldova's leadership resisted European Union calls to quickly fill over 160 vacant posts ahead of an upcoming enlargement report.

The dispute surfaced during the "Justice Reform and Combating Corruption" forum held in Chisinau on September 16, where European diplomats and Moldovan officials assessed progress under Cluster 1 (Fundamentals), which officially opened accession talks on June 15, 2026.

**Brussels urges fast-track appointments**

EU Ambassador to Moldova Iwona Piórko underscored that the European Commission will publish its annual enlargement assessment in late October or early November, evaluating the country's track record over the past year.

*“This cluster is undoubtedly the most important. It is always the first to open and the last to close,”* said Piórko. *“Significant progress must be demonstrated in the areas highlighted last year.”*

Piórko noted that key European benchmarks include concluding the external vetting of judges and prosecutors, addressing human resource deficits, and implementing random case allocation mechanisms for state prosecutors.

**Sandu insists on organic vetting**

President Maia Sandu pushed back against calls to speed up appointments solely to meet European deadlines, emphasizing that integrity checks cannot be compromised for bureaucratic convenience.

*“I do not believe this can be finalized by late October,”* Sandu said. *“Some individuals failed external evaluations; others refused to participate and resigned. The deficit is substantial, but simply appointing individuals to fill seats is not a viable solution.”*

Sandu stressed that vetting requires thorough scrutiny to ensure that only honest professionals enter the judiciary, warning against cosmetic solutions that undermine institutional credibility.

*“We are engaged in protracted discussions and have not yet reached common ground with Brussels. We insist on taking the necessary time to allow things to develop organically,”* Sandu added.

![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/5deb24d4-30bb-4e25-9996-ff3e97f525ff.jpg)

**Severe shortages and caseload strain**

French Ambassador Dominique Waag warned that scrutiny from European institutions, investigative media, and civil society will intensify as Moldova moves closer to EU accession.

The judicial system currently operates with 167 vacancies, leaving sitting magistrates with an average caseload of roughly 1,300 files each.

Vasile Grădinariu, deputy head of Parliament’s Legal Committee for Appointments and Immunities, noted that recent legislative amendments seek to make judicial careers more attractive, alongside digitization initiatives. Ilie Chirtoacă, head of the Legal Resources Centre from Moldova, suggested artificial intelligence could handle technical administrative duties to relieve magistrates.

Moldova and Ukraine obtained EU candidate status in June 2022, formally opened negotiations in June 2024, and launched talks on Cluster 6 (External Relations) on July 14, 2026.

Translation by **Iurie Tataru**

***
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