Magistrate Livia Mitrofan is the new interim president of the Chisinau Court. The decision was approved on Tuesday, September 12, at a meeting of the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM), after Judge Nicolae Sova submitted a request to cease exercising the duties of interim president of the Chisinau Court.

“(…) The request submitted by Mr Nicolae Șova, judge at the Chisinau Court of Appeals, to cease exercising the functions of interim president of the Chisinau Court is admitted. It is ordered that Mr. Nicolae Șova ceases to exercise the duties of interim president of the Chisinau Court, as of September 12, 2023”, declared the interim president of the SCM, Sergiu Caraman.

The appointment of Livia Mitrofan as interim president of the Chisinau Court was approved by 10 “pro” votes of the SCM members. She will take up her post on 12 September.

The appointment of Livia Mitrofan as interim president of the Chisinau Court was approved with 10 “pro” votes of the SCM members. She will take up her post on 12 September.

At the same time, the SCM appointed Judge Alexandru Arhip as interim vice-president of the Chisinau Court, Botanica seat, until the position is filled in the manner established by law, and Violeta Chisilița as interim vice-president of the Chisinau Court, Riscani seat.

Livia Mitrofan has been working since 2017 as a magistrate at the Chisinau Court, Centre seat.

Judge Mitrofan’s name appears in a 2014 court decision, according to which the magistrate applied to the court to partially annul the decision of the Licensing Commission of the Lawyers’ Union regarding the failure to pass the first test (written test) of the examination for obtaining a lawyer’s license. However, the magistrate’s application was dismissed. Subsequently, the Lawyers’ Union appealed against the first court’s decision, and this time the judges of the Chisinau CA rejected Livia Mitrofan’s application. The case also reached the SCJ, where the judge’s application was deemed inadmissible. In 2020, the judge was the subject of two disciplinary complaints, which were rejected.

On 25 October 2022, the Independent Integrity Assessment Commission for candidates for membership of self-governing bodies of judges and prosecutors established that Mitrofan meets the criteria of ethical and financial integrity and thus passes the assessment.

During the hearing, the judge was asked about the sources for the purchase of a 45.7-square-meter apartment located in Chisinau and the declared value of the Mercedes Vaneo car, manufactured in 2004 and purchased in 2012. The Commission had no serious doubts about any aspect of the candidate’s ethical integrity.