OSCE workshop in Moldova develops proposals on evaluating judges

Ways to evaluate the performance of judges were the focus of a two-day workshop organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the Superior Council of Magistrates that ended on 22 November 2012 in Vadul lui Voda.

The workshop brought together judges from all levels of the Moldovan judiciary, representatives from the Superior Council of Magistrates and the Justice Ministry, international experts and civil society representatives to develop criteria and procedures for evaluating the performance of judges, in line with the Moldovan Justice Sector Reform Strategy (2012-2016) and related legislation.

The Superior Council of Magistrates will use the proposals to draft new regulations and submit these for public consultation in December 2012.

“The workshop comes at a crucial time, as Moldova is moving to a new system for evaluating the performance of judges, in line with European and international standards on the independence of judges,” noted Nichifor Corochii, the Chair of the Superior Council of Magistrates.

Eva Katinka Schmidt, the Deputy Chief of ODIHR’s Rule of Law Unit, added that “appropriate criteria and fair procedures for evaluating the performance of judges will hold them accountable to professional standards without encroaching on their independence in decision-making.”

The workshop, which was supported by expertise from the German Foundation for International Legal Co-operation (IRZ), is part of ODIHR’s assistance to OSCE participating States in strengthening judicial independence and a follow-up to roundtable discussions held in Moldova in October 2010 and November 2011.