Justice Minister Veronica Mihailov-Moraru stressed that the ongoing lawyers’ strike must not disrupt judicial proceedings. She explained that the Union of Lawyers revised its initial decision after discussions with the Ministry of Justice, now allowing individual lawyers to opt out of the strike. “A strike is a right, not an obligation,” Mihailov-Moraru stated.
Initially, the Union had mandated full participation, but the revised stance respects each lawyer’s personal choice. The minister said she has briefed the Presidency on the ministry’s discussions with the legal community and emphasized that the final decision on the matter rests with the President.
“One option is for the President to promulgate the law, with the next Parliament making necessary amendments. The second is to reject promulgation and resume dialogue through a dedicated working group,” Mihailov-Moraru explained.
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She admitted that the ministry does not have exact figures on how many court hearings the strike has delayed. “Each court records postponements manually. From my talks with judicial, prosecutorial, and police leadership, the situation remains manageable,” she added.
While reaffirming the authorities’ respect for lawyers’ right to protest amendments to the Law on Advocacy, the minister insisted that protests must not obstruct the judicial system or deny citizens access to legal defense.
The Union of Lawyers has scheduled an extraordinary Congress for July 25. In the meantime, they have launched a general strike starting July 15, citing serious concerns about threats to the independence and self-governance of the legal profession.
Also on July 15, the Union again called on President Maia Sandu to withhold promulgation of the controversial amendments.
In response, the Presidency announced that it will review the bill within the 14-day constitutional timeframe and will publicly announce its decision through legal procedures.