Magistrates body head files complaint against Romanian justice minister at Constitutional Court

The president of Romania’s Superior Magistracy Council (CSM), Lia Savonea, announced on Tuesday, October 8, that she filed a complaint at the Constitutional Court against justice minister Ana Birchall, whom she accuses of serious interference in the activity of prosecutors and of undermining the Council’s authority, local Hotnews.ro reported.

Birchall is among the members of the CSM board who failed to attend a planned meeting scheduled on Tuesday, thus preventing for the sixth time the appointment of the head of the special section for investigating magistrates (SIIJ), Adina Florea.

President Klaus Iohannis has rejected the appointment of Adina Florea, nominated by then justice minister Tudorel Toader, as the head of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA). However, Florea won the contest for SIIJ in June.

Savonea also announced that she would initiate proposals for legislative changes, so that CSM members who fail to attend a board meeting without proper justification should lose their mandate.

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