The Prosecutors' Section of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) rejected the candidacy of Cristina Chiriac for the position of Prosecutor General of Romania by a vote of 5-1. At the same time, the decision regarding Marius Voineag, the head of the DNA, who is seeking the position of deputy, was postponed.

Rejection of Cristina Chiriac

The candidate for Prosecutor General received a negative opinion from the CSM due to a lack of central-level experience and controversies surrounding her asset declaration.

Deadlock over DNA chief

The vote on the candidacy of Marius Voineag for deputy prosecutor general ended with a 3-3 result, forcing a postponement of the decision.

Controversies surrounding the minister

The only vote of support for Chiriac was cast by the Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu, who is himself facing accusations of plagiarizing his doctoral thesis.

The Prosecutors' Section of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) issued a negative opinion regarding the candidacy of Cristina Chiriac for the position of Prosecutor General of Romania. The vote ended with a result of 5-1 against her nomination, with the only member of the body supporting this candidacy being the Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu. At the same time, the Judicial Council postponed the decision regarding Marius Voineag, who is seeking the position of deputy prosecutor general. In his case, the votes were evenly split (3-3), which prevented a clear opinion from being issued during Thursday's session. The procedure for appointing heads of key prosecution units in Romania has been controversial for years due to the role of political factors. Although the CSM's opinion is not binding for the president, there have been instances in history where the head of state ignored negative recommendations in final nominations. The current process is taking place in the shadow of justice sector reforms implemented by successive governments since 2017.

Cristina Chiriac, currently serving as the head of the National Anticorruption Directorate branch in Iași, had to confront a series of allegations concerning her previous work. CSM members raised the issue of her lack of experience at the central level and controversies surrounding her asset declaration, which listed an amount of one million euros. The candidate explained this situation as an editorial error on the platform of the National Integrity Agency (ANI). Additionally, Chiriac was questioned about alleged omissions in a case of sexual abuse, which the former bishop of Huși was accused of committing. „Voi învăța” (I will learn) — Cristina Chiriac via Libertatea

Marius Voineag, the incumbent head of the DNA, during his hearing, refuted allegations of creating an informal "tandem" with Cristina Chiriac and suggested that he is facing a hostile attitude from some media outlets. The prosecutor had to explain the motivation behind his decision to seek the position of deputy prosecutor general, which some observers perceive as a step backward in the professional hierarchy. The situation is complicated by the fact that the Minister of Justice, Radu Marinescu, who is pushing these candidacies, is himself under fire from criticism. The PSD politician, who has held the office since December 2024, is facing accusations of plagiarizing his doctoral thesis from 2009. CSM vote on Cristina Chiriac: Against: 5, For: 1

Nomination process timeline: December 2024 — Taking office; 30 January 2026 — First postponement; 12 March 2026 — Negative opinion

Mentioned People

  • Cristina Chiriac — head of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) branch in Iași and candidate for Prosecutor General
  • Marius Voineag — prosecutor-chief of the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA), subject of the 2025 documentary 'Captured Justice'
  • Radu Marinescu — Romanian Minister of Justice accused of plagiarizing his doctoral thesis