The Supreme Court’s Judicial Integrity and Candidate Integrity Evaluation Commission (SJC Evaluation Commission) met for its first working meeting. At this meeting, Scott Bales, the international member from the United States, was unanimously elected as the Chair of the Commission from among the six members by secret ballot.

The Chair will coordinate the work of the Evaluation Commission and its Secretariat, convening and conducting meetings of the Commission throughout its term of office.

According to the SJC Evaluation Commission, Scott Bales is a former judge and Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court and has chaired several judicial nominating commissions. As a prosecutor, he investigated cases involving financial crimes and disciplinary misconduct.

After his appointment as chairman, he said, “The Evaluation Commission is critical to Moldova’s efforts to ensure the integrity of its judges and to strengthen public confidence in its courts and the rule of law. We are honoured to participate in this process and eager to begin our work.” Bales also reaffirmed the strong commitment of the entire Commission to conduct the evaluation of judges and candidates to the SJC in a fair and impartial manner.

The SJC Evaluation Commission is composed of three national and three international members. Andrei Bivol, who will serve as Vice-President, has been practicing law since 2010, Iurie Gațcan has been an anti-corruption expert for 15 years, and Lilian Enciu is a former member of the Central Electoral Commission, all three from Moldova. Maria Giuliana Civinini has been an Italian judge for 40 years and was a member of the Italian Superior Council of Magistrates, her last position being President of the Court of Pisa. Lavly Perling, from Estonia, was a prosecutor for 24 years and served as Prosecutor General of Estonia from 2014 to 2020, and is now a member of the Ethics Council of Ukraine.

The six members of the CSJ’s Evaluation Commission were appointed by Parliament on 15 June 2023 by a vote of 3/5 of elected MPs.

The SCJ Evaluation Commission was created by Law No. 65 of 30.03.2023 on external evaluation of judges and candidates for judges of the SCJ.

Three members, citizens of Moldova, were proposed by the parliamentary factions, taking into account the proportional representation of the majority and the parliamentary opposition, and three other members were recommended by international development partners providing technical assistance to Moldova.