Judicial Inspectorate Deputy Appointed Magistrate Investigation Section Chief

According to Justice Minister Tudorel Toader, top judicial watchdog CSM confirmed the appointment in a non-unanimous vote.

Stan obtained the highest score in interviews for the role held on January 10. However, this generated controversy during Monday’s meeting, with CSM member Andreea Chis stating that the interview committee was formed through erroneous procedure.

In his interview, the magistrate said that the section’s biggest threats were a number of specific media campaigns targeting the newly-founded institution, but also the high frequency of legal amendments.

The section was launched on October 23, 2018 after it was established through a judicial bill brought forth by the ruling PSD-ALDE coalition. It took over all criminal cases involving magistrates, which were previously judged by the National Anticorruption Directorate.

The section was criticized both internally and internationally, with the Venice Commission recommending Romanian lawmakers to scrap the structure over concerns of its potential impact on the independence of magistrates.