Maia Sandu Returns the Advocacy Law to Parliament

President Maia Sandu refused to promulgate the controversial amendments to the Law on Advocacy adopted by Parliament. She announced this today, stating that she is sending the document back to Parliament for reconsideration, according to ziua.md. “I have decided to return the law to Parliament for reconsideration. I expect the new composition of Parliament to review the draft in dialogue with industry professionals, civil society, and European partners, and to return with a law that ensures both the independence of the profession and addresses the raised issues. The legal profession is a crucial element of the rule of law, and it must work responsibly towards the justice system and citizens,” emphasized Maia Sandu. According to the head of state, the Law No. 242/2025 adopted by Parliament in its current form does not offer sufficient solutions to the systemic problems in the legal profession, especially regarding issues of transparency, fair recruitment, citizens’ access to justice, and the enforcement of professional ethics. “Today, the legal profession is perceived as a structure resistant to necessary reforms – modern standards of transparency, digitalization, and the effective operation of internal commissions. Even more concerning is that the structure remains inactive regarding the actions of lawyers who illegally influence court decisions, engage in lobbying, or even belong to criminal organizations,” noted Sandu. As she emphasized, a serious reform should include the institutional modernization of the Bar Association, ensure greater transparency, efficiency, and respect for the principles of the rule of law, as well as promote fair access to the profession and a functional system of ethics and deontology.