Ethics and deontology of magistrates, from the perspective of French experts

Judges, inspector-judges and inspector-prosecutors participated, on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, in the "Ethics and deontology of magistrates" seminar. The training program was organized by the National Institute of Justice in partnership with the Embassy of the French Republic in the Republic of Moldova and the USAID JARA Project.

In the opening, the head of the Training and Research Directorate of the INJ, Ecaterina Popa, mentioned the importance of continuous and uniform training in the field of professional ethics and deontology, given that, according to recent legislative changes, the scope of beneficiaries of the Institute's training activities has expanded to include representatives of the Judicial Inspection and the Prosecutors' Inspection.

Experts Aline Clerot, prosecutor at the Judicial Court of Saverne, trainer at the National School of Magistracy in France, and Simona Pavel, French liaison magistrate in Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Bulgaria, together with INJ trainers - Aliona Miron and Alexandru Postica, members of the Superior Council of the Magistracy, as well as Mircea Roșioru, chief inspector of the Inspectorate of Prosecutors, facilitated a constructive dialogue about the current challenges of the professions of judges and prosecutors.

The training sessions pursued several objectives, including the knowledge and correct interpretation of international and national standards of judicial ethics and deontology, including freedom of expression; the delimitation of the specific aspects of the communication of judges/prosecutors; ensuring a professional and balanced interaction of the judge/prosecutor with the litigants, society, the media, respecting ethical limits, etc.

On the same day, experts Aline Clerot and Simona Pavel held a public lecture for the audience of the National Institute of Justice. The exchange of ideas and knowledge that goes beyond the formal framework of the training programs offered the future judges and prosecutors a broad perspective on the ethical and deontological dilemmas of the contemporary legal system.