Judge Viorica Puica will take over as interim President of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ). The decision was taken by unanimous vote on Friday 25 August by the Superior Council of the Magistracy (SCM), as Tamara Chișca-Doneva’s resignation request was partially accepted and the judge ceased her activity as of today.

Puica will take up the post of interim president from Saturday 26 August until her temporary transfer to the supreme court ends.

“Based on the experience, professional activity and reputation of Ms Viorica Puica, I propose her for the position of interim president of the SCJ. She is also the only judge among those temporarily transferred by the SCM to the SCJ who applied to participate in the competition for the permanent position of judge in the SCJ,” said the rapporteur, SCM member Maria Frunze.

At the beginning of May, seven judges were transferred for half a year as judges of the SCJ.

In the spring of 2021, the candidacy of magistrate Viorica Puică for the position of judge at the SCJ was rejected by the parliamentary majority.

During the Parliament’s sitting of 12 March 2021, Vasile Bolea, chairman of the Legal, Appointments and Immunities Committee, proposed the rejection of the draft law on the appointment of Judge Viorica Puică to the CSJ until the age limit was reached, on the sole grounds that the draft law, having been put to the vote during the meeting of the Legal, Appointments and Immunities Committee, did not have the number of votes to be submitted for consideration and adoption in the plenary of the Parliament. Thus, by a majority vote, the magistrate’s application was rejected.

Viorica Puica has been a judge since 2002 and worked at the Court of sect. Centru district of Chisinau. In 2007, Viorica Puica was named the best judge in Moldova.

She has previously made several critical speeches about the judicial system in Moldova.