The pre-vetting commission announced on Wednesday, February 15, that Ludmila Ouș, a candidate for the position of member of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) from the list proposed by the Parliament, withdrew from the competition, thus not passing the evaluation.

The Commission’s decision was sent to the candidate and to the institution responsible for organising the competition, in this case the Parliament, a Commission statement said.

It may be appealed to the Supreme Court of Justice within five days of receipt. Ludmila Ush has 48 hours to inform the Commission whether she accepts the publication of the reasoned decision. The Commission will place the decision on its website if the candidate does not object to publication.

ZdG previously reported that former Chisinau Court of Appeals judge Ludmila Ouș was acquitted in March 2021 in a corruption case filed in October 2018.

12 non-judge candidates, with professional experience in law or other relevant field, have been nominated by the Parliament for membership of the CSM and are being assessed by the pre-vetting commission on their financial and ethical integrity.

So far, two candidates – Evgheni Florea, professor at Comrat State University, and Ilie Mămăligă, lawyer – have not passed the evaluation because they did not submit their declaration for 5 years on time, two others – Fiodor Bria, lecturer at the Free International University, and Ludmila Ouș – have withdrawn from the competition, thus not passing the evaluation.

The Pre-Vetting Committee announced on Tuesday 17 January that it had started the evaluation procedure for the group of candidates nominated by the Parliament for membership of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM). The list of 12 non-judge candidates, admitted to the competition by a decision of the Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, Appointments and Immunities, includes self-employed lawyers, lawyers and representatives of civil society and academia, who will go through the process of financial and ethical integrity checks in order to become eligible to become permanent members of the CSM.

Of the non-judge candidates who pass the pre-vetting commission’s assessment, Parliament will appoint, by a vote of three-fifths of the elected deputies, six members of the Superior Council of Magistracy. Thus, the new composition of the SJC will be made up of 6 judges, elected by secret ballot by the General Assembly of Judges, and 6 non-judges, appointed by Parliament.

The list of non-judge candidates, submitted by the Legislature, consists of Valentin Caișîn, Ludmila Ouș, Tatiana Chiriac, Tatiana Ciaglic, Alexandru Rotari, Eugen Florea, Fiodor Bria, Alexandru Postica, Ion Guzun, Ilie Mămăligă, Ștefan Belecciu and Angela Popil.

Only five judges, candidates for positions in the CSM, passed the evaluation of the pre-vetting commission – 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.