Interim Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Justice Resigns

Tamara Chisca-Doneva, interim chairperson of the Supreme Court of Justice, has resigned. The Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM) has approved her resignation at today’s meeting. “I am not ashamed of any of my decisions,” she stated. So, as of today, 25 August, Tamara Chisca-Doneva is relieved of her position as a judge of the SCJ. At the same time, judge Tamara Chisca-Doneva requested the dismissal of SCM member Nina Cernat, but the motion was rejected. “Nina Cernat is not a member of the SCM legally, the term of office has expired since the appointment of a new SCM under the conditions stipulated in Article 3/1 of the Law on SCM,” Chisca-Doneva said. At the same time, the judge asked to postpone the consideration of the resignation application. “I want to think about this statement. I want to hire a lawyer, formulate a defense, after the dismissal was rejected. I am not withdrawing the application,” Tamara Chisca-Doneva clarified. Her proposal was rejected. Tamara Chisca-Doneva, the interim chairperson of the Supreme Court of Justice, and the SCM judge Ion Guzun resigned. It happened when the SCM started the process of assessing financial and ethical integrity within the framework of the Pre-Vetting Commission of the SCP judges. Tamara Chisca-Doneva indicated in a statement sent to the SCM that she is requesting approval of her resignation from 31 December 2023 with a single severance payment. In the application, the judge refers to the fact that the functioning of the SCM is severely affected by the number of vacancies and states that she considers it inappropriate to participate in the assessment under the Pre-Vetting Commission due to the fact that her term expires on 14 June 2024. Ion Guzun did not provide a resignation date in the request.