The Declic Community filed a lawsuit on Thursday at the Cluj Court of Appeal challenging the decision of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) to appoint judge Lia Savonea as the President of the High Court of Cassation and Justice (ÎCCJ).
The initiative is supported by a petition signed by 70,000 citizens.
"We challenge the appointment of Lia Savonea not to block a career, but because it is necessary for the law to be respected, especially when the appointment concerns the leadership of the highest court in the country. Judicial independence means not only that judges are free to decide without pressure, but also that citizens can see that justice operates impartially," stated Roxana Pencea Brădățan, campaign coordinator at Declic.
Lawyer Roxana Mândruțiu, representing the organization in court, explained that the administrative litigation action seeks the annulment of CSM acts "with a blatant violation of the deadlines and procedural guarantees provided by law," emphasizing that the appointment procedure must be "transparent, fair, and predictable."
Declic accuses several irregularities, including initiating the election procedure for the new President of the ÎCCJ nearly three months earlier than the law stipulates.
The organization also mentions the "controversial history" of Lia Savonea, as well as the critical positions expressed by judges and the European Commission during her tenure as the head of the CSM.
"Transparency, neutrality, and avoiding conflicts of interest" are, according to Declic, fundamental conditions to protect the public perception of judicial independence.
The legal costs of the initiative, amounting to 10,000 lei, are fully covered by donations from community members.