Lucia Popescu and Iulian Muntean were appointed on Thursday, 7 September, by Parliament to the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM) for a six-year term. Both nominations were supported by 62 MEPs.

Lucia Popescu holds a law degree and a master’s degree in civil law and European law and is currently working on the project “Strengthening transparency, accountability and access to the judicial system in Moldova”. Previously, Lucia Popescu worked as legal advisor or project coordinator.

On 16 August this year, the Pre-Vetting Commission announced the result of the evaluation of the candidate for the position of member of the SCM from among non-judges, Lucia Popescu. According to the Commission, the candidate met the criteria of financial and ethical integrity and passed the evaluation.

Iulian Muntean is a lawyer. Previously he was a university lecturer at several higher education institutions in Moldova – State University of Moldova, Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, Technical University of Moldova. Iulian Muntean passed the Pre-Vetting Commission evaluation.

The competition for the selection of candidates for the position of member of the SCM was conducted in three stages – submission and admissibility of applications, assessment of the integrity of the candidates and the interview. Six persons were admitted to the interview, who passed the evaluation carried out by the Independent Integrity Assessment Commission of the candidates for membership in the self-administration bodies of judges and prosecutors – Veaceslav Gutan, Aliona Corcenco, Vitalie Sili, Iulian Muntean, Lucia Popescu and Leonid Chirtoaca.

According to the law, the SCM has 12 members. Six of them, who are not judges, are appointed by Parliament, with a vote of three-fifths of elected MPs.

On 30 March 2023, Tatiana Ciaglic, Ion Guzun and Alexandru Postica were appointed by Parliament to the SCM for a six-year term. Subsequently, on 28 April 2023, the General Assembly of Judges appointed judges Vasile Șchiopu, Ioana Chironeț, Sergiu Caraman and Maria Frunze as permanent members of the SCM. Livia Mitrofan from the Chisinau Court of Appeals, Centru seat, was elected as an alternate member of the SCM.