Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu reacted on Thursday to the position adopted by the Superior Council of the Magistracy (CSM) in relation to the criticisms regarding the special pensions of the magistrates and stated that she maintains her opinion that these benefits represent a privilege that should be eliminated.
The reaction comes after the Judicial Section of the SCM published a 76-page report in which it claims the judiciary is under “unprecedented attack” and identifies a number of politicians, non-governmental organizations and media outlets it accuses of undermining public confidence in the judiciary. According to the Council, the document was supported by 3,580 judges.
In a post published on Facebook, she mocked accusations that such statements would contribute to “discrediting justice”.
“I declare on my own responsibility that I am guilty of “discrediting justice” because I allowed myself to state that the special pensions of magistrates represent a privilege that must be eliminated“, wrote Gheorghiu.
Criticism of special pensions
Oana Gheorghiu claimed that Romania can no longer afford to grant special pensions to people who retire from work at the age of 48-50.
According to her, the independence of the judiciary must be guaranteed by appropriate salaries, not by benefits granted after the termination of the activity.
“A fair, independent judge who resists political and pecuniary pressures deserves a salary that shields him from any temptation“, she stated.
On the other hand, early retirement and special pensions are not, in his opinion, an instrument of judicial independence.
Message for the management of the CSM
Gheorghiu stated that he found that he was among the people mentioned in the CSM document and criticized what he called the “black list” of the institution.
She said she regretted if there were magistrates who felt affected by her statements, but noted that more and more voices in the judiciary claim that they were not consulted on the report adopted by the SCM on the matter.
At the same time, she criticized the attitude of the leadership of the Superior Council of Magistracy and claimed that no public institution should be immune from criticism.
“No institution in a democracy has the right to be immune from criticism. Not even the one who dispenses justice“, transmitted Oana Gheorghiu.
