Interim President Ilie Bolojan said on Monday that „without a functional, independent and efficient judiciary, our democracy could become even more fragile”.

„My presence is a sign of respect for you, for those who work at the High Court and for all those who work in the Romanian judicial system, a system that is a basic pillar of our country. It is an opportunity to reflect honestly and lucidly on the state of justice in Romania, because without a functional, independent and efficient judiciary, our democracy could become even more fragile,” said Ilie Bolojan, at the 2024 annual report meeting of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ICCJ).

He said that in recent years, the Romanian justice system has been operating in a complex context, mentioning some of the constant challenges faced by the judiciary, namely the heavy workload of the courts, the complexity of cases, legislative instability and the lack of clarity of some laws.

The interim president considered that the efforts already undertaken by the ICCJ to make its own jurisprudence more accessible through a digital library and the steps taken to ensure a uniform practice are concrete steps towards strengthening confidence in justice.

„Effective justice is not only about functioning institutions, clear laws or procedures. Great public systems are made up of people serving our country. Romania has many professional magistrates with integrity. Since it is their task to establish judicial truth, society expects magistrates to be moral and professional benchmarks. I am grateful to all magistrates, who, through what they do, are a benchmark for other public systems, but especially for citizens, guaranteeing that their rights and freedoms are protected,” added Ilie Bolojan.

AGERPRES