Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon, targeted in three criminal cases, announces on Friday, June 16, that he has filed a complaint with the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG) on behalf of head of state Maia Sandu, accusing her of “interference in the conduct of justice”.

Socialist Igor Dodon is calling for the head of state to be “held criminally responsible” after President Maia Sandu took part in a discussion with members of the Superior Council of the Magistracy (CSM) on 12 June.

“(…) Even though the Code of Criminal Procedure stipulates that the judge judges on the basis of the law and adopts a sentence, which can be: acquittal, or conviction, or termination of the trial, Mrs. Sandu is firmly asking the judges, at the Superior Council of Magistracy – convictions! And it’s clear to everyone which cases she is referring to. I think it’s time, in the third year of presidential mandate, for Mrs Sandu to understand that the statements of a president are not mere words, they represent the executive power and the presidential institution and produce legal effects (…),” Igor Dodon said in a post on his Facebook page.

Asked by Ziarul de Gardă, presidential representatives said that “the presidential institution does not comment on statements.”

On Monday, June 12, the Presidential Administration in Chisinau announced that President Maia Sandu was invited that day to a discussion with members of the SCM.

“The head of state stressed that the system must be cleaned as soon as possible of corrupt judges who compromise the image of the entire system and endanger Moldova’s existence as a country. She also noted that concrete results are needed, especially convictions in high corruption cases to stop corruption and restore a sense of justice in society.

President Maia Sandu conveyed that a strong and independent judiciary is vital for the economic development of the country and ensuring the well-being of its citizens. Very importantly, Moldova’s accession to the European Union depends to a large extent on the success of the justice reform and on our ability to build a justice system that functions at European standards. The Superior Council of Magistracy has an important role to play in this process,” the Presidency announced.

During the discussion, the members of the SCM addressed a number of topics relating to “the functioning of the institution, cooperation with other state institutions and problems of the judicial system”.