Union of Advocates on Sandu’s Proposal on Vetting: Direct Interference in Activities

Maia Sandu’s statement on the need for lawyers to undergo ethical and financial integrity checks was received with “concern” by the Union of Advocates (UARM): “The introduction of a vetting procedure for advocates is pointless”. The Union of Advocates has asked the head of state to provide a list of “any abuses committed by advocates in the performance of their professional duties”, reports zdg.md. On Monday, 20 October, the Moldovan Union of Advocates published an official comment on the proposed “vetting of lawyers”. The organization believes that “the introduction of such a mechanism would constitute direct interference in the free exercise of professional activities and would contradict the principles of the rule of law and the constitutional right to defense”, adding that external evaluation of lawyers is not provided for by any existing legal norm.