Romanian president approves retirement of 96 magistrates amid pension reform plans

Romania’s president Nicuşor Dan signed 96 decrees approving the retirement of magistrates on August 1, with most leaving the judiciary immediately and the remainder scheduled to retire on September 1, Cursdeguvernare.ro reported. Among those stepping down is Corina Corbu, President of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ).

The wave of retirements follows government plans to revise the special pension system for judges and prosecutors. Prime minister Ilie Bolojan has pledged that magistrates who already meet retirement conditions will retain their current pension rights, while future retirees will fall under the new rules.

President Dan had delayed processing the retirement requests, prompting the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) to accuse him of creating “a real blockage” in judicial appointment and retirement procedures. On July 30, the president stated that 76 requests had been submitted, with 20 additional applications arriving in the final days of July, most likely for retirement effective September 1.

The upcoming reform will gradually raise the minimum retirement age for magistrates to 47 years and eight months starting September 1, 2025, increasing annually until aligning with the general retirement age of 65. Additionally, pensions will be capped at 70% of the last net income, compared to the current 80% of the previous year’s gross income.

The announcement of these changes has triggered a rush of early retirements among magistrates seeking to secure existing benefits.

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