Romanian president won’t appoint Supreme Court head anymore

The special parliamentary committee for changing the justice laws in Romania, led by social democrat MP Florin Iordache, voted on Monday an amendment to the justice laws removing the president from the procedure to appoint the president of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ), Romania’s highest court. The committee decided that the Superior Magistracy Council (CSM) should appoint and revoke the High Court head, local News.ro reported. The special committee for changing the justice laws brought several changes to the bills already adopted by the Parliament at the end of last year, parts of which were declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court. One of the main changes is the president’s removal from the procedure to appoint the High Court head. The committee also took away the president’s possibility to refuse the appointment of trainee judges and prosecutors. Another amendment provides that magistrates are not allowed to hold any other public or private positions, except for teaching positions or positions within justice institutions. The committee’s report will be sent to the Chamber of Deputies, which will have to vote again on the justice bills. Romanian president, justice minister clash again over prosecutor independence editor@romania-insider.com