After Constitution, Parliament will pass seven justice laws

22/07/2016 00:00

The Constitutional amends which passed with the unanimous parliament
vote, will enter in effect during August, when the law is signed by the
President and published on the Official Bulletin.

Even then, the Justice Reform will not start its immediate effects. At least, not completely. The new constitutional institutions of the judiciary and prosecution will be effective after several months, once the respective laws are approved.

The Parliament decided to review the first seven laws that make the reform even more effective in September, when the new Parliamentary session will start working.

With the consensus of July 21st, the majority and the opposition undertake to cooperate for improving the seven initiatives that passed at the Commission with the votes of the majority.

However, there are two institutions which need to be established within constitutional deadlines even before these laws have passed. The new constitution binds the President to start procedures for appointing the nine members of the Justice Appointing Council, within five days.

This is a structure that was always considered by the opposition as key for political influence on the justice system. But after the draft amends, the Council of Appointments not only has changed its constituency, but now also has fewer members in Constitutional institutions, where it influences the ranking of candidates.

The new Constitution has deadlines for the procedures which will establish the structures for the vetting. 45 days after the Constitutional amends will enter in effect, which means that the President should have finalized the organization of the application process and the planning of the list with the candidates by September.

This process will be monitored by the International Monitoring Operation, a structure with foreign prosecutors and judges that may be ready once the law enters in effect.

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