The special panel for examining appeals against the decisions of the Pre-Vetting Commission of the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ) rejected on Monday, February 6, the request to challenge the Commission’s decision submitted by magistrate Anatolie Turcan, who did not pass the evaluation.

According to the law, the reasoned decision of the CSJ is to be published within five days of the ruling.

Anatolie Turcan was appointed as a judge of the CSJ in 2016 until he reached the age of 65. Previously, he served as a judge at the Chisinau Court of Appeal (CA), a judge at the Rascani Court and a judge at the Ocinita Court.

Anatolie Turcan was a member of the panel of the Supreme Court of Justice, together with Vladimir Timofti and Nadejda Toma, which brought to a close the case of controversial businessman Veaceslav Platon. The three judges declared unfounded the appeal filed by Platon’s lawyer against the decision of the Chisinau Court of Appeal upholding his 18-year prison sentence.

Previously, Anatolie Turcan served as a member of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) for 8 years, 2 consecutive terms.

When he was a member of the CSM, Turcan was promoted by his colleagues from CA Chisinau to the CSJ.

Also during his tenure at the CSM, other judges who were targeted in several journalistic investigations were promoted to the position, such as Mariana Pitic, promoted to judge at the CSJ and Mihai Poalelungi, promoted to president of the CSJ. Țurcan also participated in several topics that served as a basis for the revocation of the current composition of the CSM, namely, the consent to the initiation of criminal proceedings against 15 judges based on the referral made by the Prosecutor General, as well as the consent to the initiation of criminal proceedings against the former judge of CA Chisinau, Domnica Manole.

On Wednesday 4 January, the Pre-Vetting Commission announced that magistrates Iurie Bejenaru, Anatolie Turcan, Vitalie Stratan, Angela Bostan and Vladislav Holban, candidates for positions in the SCM, did not pass the Pre-Vetting Commission’s evaluation. According to the Commission, they “did not meet the integrity criteria”.

So far, only five candidates for CSM positions have passed the Pre-Vetting Commission’s assessment – Livia Mitrofan and Maria Frunze from the Chisinau Court of Appeals, Centre seat, Ioana Chironeț, judge at the Chisinau Court of Appeals, Ciocana seat, Vasile Șchiopu, judge at the Ungheni Court of Appeals and Sergiu Caraman, judge at the Criuleni Court of Appeals.