Supreme Court set to rule on judges' unpaid salary claims against government

Romania's Supreme Court of Cassation and Justice is poised to hand down a conclusive verdict on a lawsuit it initiated against the Government and the Ministry of Finance over outstanding salary payments to judges. After the Bucharest Court of Appeal accepted the action in May, the case entered the appellate phase, with the Supreme Court having already delayed its ruling seven times. The court has stipulated that, once the decision becomes final, the executive must implement it within ten days, facing a 1% daily fine and an additional penalty based on the minimum wage for each day of non-compliance.

In its filing, the court's president, Lia Savonea, contended that the arrears violate judges' property rights and undermine judicial independence. The government has responded by seeking a constitutional review of relevant administrative law provisions and has asked the EU Court of Justice to suspend the proceedings pending a preliminary ruling.