magistrates

Klaus Iohannis, challenged by magistrates after signing decrees appointing chief prosecutors

The Association "Iniţiaivă pentru Justiţie" ("Initiative for Justice") has announced will challenge president Klaus Iohannis' decision appointing chief prosecutors, stating that the CVM recommendations about appointments to the General Prosecutor's Office, DIICOT and DNA were not respected.

Dozens of Magistrates Stage New Protest Against Judicial Decree

Several dozen magistrates in Bucharest organized an impromptu protest in front of the Palace of Justice in Bucharest on Monday evening, contesting the partially-repealed judicial decree issued three weeks ago by Justice Minister Tudorel Toader.

Bucharest Magistrates Stage Protests Against Government Judicial Decree

Approximately 200 judges and magistrates staged a protest on Friday evening in front of Bucharest’s Palace of Justice against a Government decree adopted earlier this week which amends several judicial bills.

General Prosecutor: New Magistrate Investigation Section Will Take Over 1,400 Cases

Romania’s General Prosecutor, Augustin Lazar, announced on Tuesday that the newly-established section to investigate judicial offences will take over 1,400 cases involving magistrates, with its activity having started on Tuesday.

Romanian Judicial Inspection Profoundly Affected, Says Magistrate

Romanian magistrate Gabriela Baltag, a member in the High Court of Magistracy, says the Judicial Inspection will be profoundly affected in the aftermath of a checkup made at the National Anticorruption Directorate.

Romanian Senate Validates 8 Magistrates Council Members

Romania’s Senate validated Monday the eight members of the High Council of Magistrates whose candidacy the Constitutional Court ruled legal.

EC Says Romania Should Revise Supreme Court Competence, Increase Magistracy Institute Role

The European Commission recommended Romania in its report released Tuesday to revise the competences of its High Court of Justice and strengthen the role of the country’s National Magistracy Institute.

Romanian Constitution Article 53 Does Not Justify Austerity Plan – Assoc

Romania’s Magistrates’ Association issued a press release Saturday, according to which pension and public sector wage cuts cannot be argued for through article 53 of the country’s Constitution, as the measures actually endanger national security.

Romania’s Govt Allots Over RON200M To Pay Magistrates’ Salary Rights Won In Court In ‘09

Romania’s Government granted extra 205.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1275) to the Justice Ministry, the High Court of Justice, the High Council of Magistrates and the country’s prosecution offices to pay a part of the salary rights magistrates have claimed and won in court.

Romanian Senate’s Legal Committee Approves Draft Pension Law With Amendments

The Romanian Senate’s committee for legal matters Tuesday approved the draft pension law with amendments which set special retirement conditions for judges and magistrates, committee for legal matters vice-president Iulian Urban told MEDIAFAX.

Romanian Magistrates Vote Livia Stanciu For Supreme Court President

Romania’s High Council of Magistrates on Thursday voted judge Livia Doina Stanciu to be president of the country’s High Court of Justice, but the appointment is pending approval by President Traian Basescu.

Romanian Magistrates’ Vote Fmr Head Lidia Barbulescu For Supreme Court President

Romania’s High Council of Magistrates Thursday voted former council head Lidia Barbulescu to be president of the country’s High Court of Justice, but the appointment is to be made by the head of state.

Bucharest Appeals Court Magistrates Suspend Protests, Resume Activity As Of Sept 28

Romanian magistrates with the Bucharest Court of Appeals decided Friday to suspend protests and resume activity as of September 28, but said they are determined to continue talks meant to solve their demands.

Romanian Magistrates, Politicians Sign Principles Of Pact On Justice

The representatives of the Romanian magistrates and politicians except the Ministry of Justice and the Democratic Liberal Party signed on Thursday the principles of the Pact on Justice, after several amendments were included.

Romanian Supreme Court Magistrates To Continue Protests

Romanian magistrates with the High Court of Justice decided Monday, within their general assembly, that they would continue protests, according to court officials.

Court Releases Romanian Ex General Chitac, Reincarcerates Stanculescu

Romanian former general Mihai Chitac, sentenced to 15 years in prison for aggravated manslaughter, was released for three months on medical grounds, while former general Victor Athanasie Stanculescu, who received a similar sentence for the killing of civilians in 1989, will go back behind bars.

Romanian Magistrates With Bucharest Court Of Appeals To Continue Protests

Romanian magistrates with the Bucharest Court of Appeals voted Friday to continue protests until a pact for justice is signed, despite the High Council of Magistrates’ call for a halt in protests, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Romanian Pres Says Magistrates Enjoy Freedom But Don’t Know What To Do With It

Romanian president Traian Basescu said Tuesday evening before the Parliament that magistrates enjoy total freedom but they don’t know what to do with this freedom, and continued mentioning article 21 of the Constitution, the one referring to free access to justice.

Romanian Magistrates Gross Wages Will Not Decrease – PM

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc said Tuesday in Parliament that the gross salaries of magistrates will not be reduced under the unitary wage law for the public sector, but the judges and prosecutors will not be eligible for the same types of salary hikes applied to teaches and doctors until 2015.

Bucharest Court Magistrates To Cease Activity Come Aug 31

Bucharest Court vice president Laura Andrei said Friday the magistrates will cease all activities starting from Monday, except the preventive measures trials and those involving the placement of minors, while judges will refuse assignments to electoral offices.

Romanian Magistrate Bonuses To Cost State Budget RON48M Monthly

Romanian Finance Ministry said that paying the 50% mental distress bonuses and the 15% confidentiality bonuses to the magistrates in 2009 would cost the budget RON48 million monthly (EUR1=RON 4,2310).

Appeals Court: Romania Fin Min To Pay Some RON1.5M Salary Rights To High Court Staff

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that Romania’s Finance Ministry and the Court Of Accounts must pay salary rights of nearly 1.5 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2325) to Supreme Court magistrates and auxiliary staff.

Romanian Justice Min Tries To Keep As Many Bonuses As Possible For Magistrates In Unitary Pay Law

Romanian justice minister Catalin Predoiu said Monday, after the governing coalition meeting, that he will try to keep as many of magistrates’ bonuses as possible in the future single and unitary pay law for the public sector and again called on magistrates to stop halting activity in protest.

Romanian Magistrates File Complaint Against Justice Min

The president of the Romanian Magistrates Association (AMR), Mona Pivniceru, said she will file a complaint against justice minister Catalin Predoiu at the Prosecution Office within the High Court of Justice, claiming the minister issued “a memo that defies the law”.

Romanian PM Urges Magistrates To Resume Business As Usual

Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc on Thursday called on the magistrates to understand the burden their pay bonuses would put on the state budget in a period of crisis, urging them to give up protests and carry on their activity as usual.

Romanian Magistrates Call On Justice Min To Resign Over Unpaid Bonuses

Romanian magistrates on Wednesday requested the resignation of Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu, following an order removing a 50% pay bonus for neuropsychological exhaustion.

Romanian Justice Minister Calls On Magistrates To Cease Illegal Protests

Romanian justice minister Catalin Predoiu on Wednesday called on magistrates to do their job and stop halting activity in courts, after trials were halted temporarily over the past two days, in protest to the ministry’s decision to cut a 50% wage bonus for justice system staff.

Romanian Court Suspends Justice Ministry Order Scrapping a 50% Bonus

The Bucharest Court of Appeals on Tuesday suspended the order of the Ministry of Justice that halted the granting of a 50% bonus for mental distress to magistrates and court staff, in a suite filed by judges and auxiliary staff of the Bucharest court and the Bucharest Prosecutors’ Office.

Romanian Constitutional Court Sees No Legal Conflict Btw Govt, CSM

The Romanian Constitutional Court noted Wednesday that the aspects notified by the High Council of Magistrates (CSM) do not fit within the parameters of a legal conflict of constitutional nature.

Romanian President: Judges Must Enforce The Law, Not Make It

Romanian President Traian Basescu said Friday, within the event commemorating 100 years since the inception of Romania's High Council of Magistrates (CSM), that judges must enforce the law, not create it, and stressed the separation of powers translates into mutual control.

Romanian President Calls For Reexamination Of Magistrates’ Statute

Romanian President Traian Basescu sent the Parliament Friday a request for the reexamination of amendments to the law on the statute of judges and prosecutors, saying that the European Commission would file a negative report if magistrates are allowed to occupy positions without a contest.

Romanian Magistrates Probe Steaua Owner’s Release

Romania’s High Council of Magistrates on Thursday decided to launch an inquiry into the release order for Steaua owner Gigi Becali, following media reports on judicial irregularities.

Romanian Magistrates- Highest Paid Public Sector Employees In ’08- Report

A report drafted by the Romanian government indicates that the average monthly costs per person on public sector wages, during January-November 2008, range from 1693 lei (EUR1=RON4.2340) for the Economic and Social Council up to RON9926 for the Supreme Court, which ranks first in the hierarchy.

Court Ruling Hiking Magistrates’ Wages Is Abusive – Romanian President

Romanian President Traian Basescu deemed abusive the way magistrates’ wages have been increased by court decision, as this is a severe violation of the power separation principle.

Romanian Pres Blasta High Council Of Magistrates

Romanian president Traian Basescu noticed that despite the lack of consistent progress under Lidia Barbulescu, the High Council of the Magistrates is seeking ways to block the activity of the National Integrity Agency, and not to apply the European Commission recommendations, said the presidency.

Romanian Magistrates No Longer Appointed Without Contest

The Romanian executive on Wednesday amended the legislation on magistrates’ statute, by eliminating the possibility for former judges and prosecutors, as well as for acting lawyers to be appointed magistrates without passing a test.

Romanian Magistrate Professional Records To Be Kept By Single Auth

The Romanian High Council of the Magistrates (CSM) proposes a law amendment that would bring all professional records of judges and prosecutors, which are currently held by other institutions, to the Council.

Romanian Pres Says 25% Of Magistrates Are Ex Securitate Members

The president of the Romanian High Council of the Magistrates, Lidia Barbulescu, said that the statements made by president Traian Basescu, who said that 25% of magistrates are former Securitate members, "brings unusual damage" to the image of judges and prosecutors.

Parliament Often Bent Constitution To Fit Political Interests –President

Romanian President Traian Basescu told young graduates of the National Magistrates Institute on Tuesday that lawmakers have often “bent” the Constitution to make it fit political purposes.

New President At The Romanian High Council Of Magistrates

Lidia Barbulescu was elected president of the Romanian High Council of the Magistrates (CSM) with 15 pros and one con. She will present the management plan implied by the position.