Justice is the basic system of democracy, says interim President Ilie Bolojan

Justice is the basic system of democracy, and without citizens' trust in it, Romania is more vulnerable, interim president Ilie Bolojan said at the Supreme Court's 2024 review presented on Monday. Instability and lack of legislative clarity, as well as the high caseload and complexity of cases, are just some of the constant challenges magistrates have faced, Ilie Bolojan said.

Ilie Bolojan: "A modern, efficient justice system that respects the law and citizens and guarantees the protection of their fundamental rights is not something that only the judiciary or only part of the political class can aspire to. It is a common goal, which requires political will, professionalism and, above all, a fair relationship to the public interest, an effort to bring the justice system closer to the citizens, at their service.

There are, however, systemic problems that cannot be ignored: the excessive length of proceedings, with the risk of the statute of limitations running out, the lack of uniform practices, in particular identical ones, the infrastructure, which leaves something to be desired in some courts, staff shortages, the lack of a clear performance indicator, which leads to inefficiency, and access to justice, which is sometimes difficult for the average person."

Translated by: Radu Matei