The “black list” of the CSM, contested by the Forum of Judges: “A quasi-unanimous support is unrealistically presented”
The Judges' Forum Association accuses the judges' section of the Superior Council of the Magistracy that the list of 3580 judges who are said to “denounce the attempt to subordinate the judiciary” is incorrect because the general meetings of judges that took place on Tuesday were not subject to discussion of the document adopted by the CSM. Also, the Forum of Judges announced that it is taking into account the action in court of the section of judges of the CSM.
“The communiqué published today by the Section for Judges of the Superior Council of the Magistracy regarding Decision no. 1348/09.06.2026 destroys any chance of a dialogue between the judiciary with civil society and the other powers of the state and induces serious doubt about the credibility of the judiciary itself. It is unrealistic to see a quasi-unanimous support, at the level of all the courts, of this message not specific to the discourse of the judiciary, found mainly in the content of the Decision”, says a press release of the Forum of Judges.
“CSM does not want justice reforms”
The Forum notes that the CSM Decision contains attacks on parties, NGOs, media institutions, natural persons or professional associations of magistrates considered “inconvenient”.
The association claims that the general meetings of judges on Tuesday discussed reactions to the errors that the salary bill would contain.
“Furthermore, the 3,580 judges did not criticize the Recorder documentary, following which an integrity-warning magistrate is subject to a disciplinary trial, the reactions of the press or public opinion targeting any legitimate criticisms related to the functioning of justice, they did not discuss the issue of the non-application of the Lin judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union, as a result of two binding interpretative decisions of the High Court of Cassation and Justice, and they did not criticize the activity of the prosecutor's offices”, states the quoted source.
ECHR jurisprudence is also mentioned, which stipulates that the functioning of the judicial system constitutes matters of public interest.
“The statement published today by the Section for Judges of the Superior Council of the Magistracy shows beyond doubt that this authority does not want judicial reforms, constantly requested by the European Commission, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Court of Justice of the European Union, etc., relevant European and international bodies”, considers the Forum of Judges.
The forum announces that its mention in the CSM decision puts “unjustified pressure” on a professional association, which is why it is considering suing the CSM judges section.
The document adopted by the judges of the SCM
Several politicians, NGOs, and publications are accused by the Superior Council of the Magistracy of running a campaign to discredit the judiciary in the last year. The SCM names the “culprits” in a more than 70-page document, saying it has the support of 3,580 judges.
In the 76-page document, the CSM details the entire crisis period and makes a list of “culprits”.
The CSM says that this decision was based on the consultation of all 239 courts in Romania, which met in general assemblies, and 3,580 judges – 98% of those present, which represent 84% of the total – denounced “the constant degradation of the rule of law in Romania through the sustained attempt to subjugate the judiciary by the political power”.
The Council complains about the Government's measures to change the status of the magistrate without effective consultation, as well as the legislative proposals regarding retirement and salary, claiming that the judicial power is placed at the level of “public officials from the local level (city hall), without taking into account the rank of the judicial power”.
Who is included on the list
The judges of the CSM point to “politicians of the governing coalition, especially from USR and PNL” as the authors of the campaign to denigrate justice.
The prime minister is also invoked, but without giving his name:
“The campaign was based on constantly repeated lies by a part of the ruling coalition today, especially by the political part under the authority and influence of the prime minister, their media vectors, as well as by NGOs that traditionally subscribe to their messages.”
Dominic Fritz, president of USR, Ana Birchall, former minister of justice, former adviser to the president, former adviser to the prime minister, Cristian Ghinea (USR), Laurenţiu Ştefănescu (USR) and other USR members, as well as former investigative journalist Ionel Stoica, are listed on the “black list”. Several of their posts on social networks are indicated in the CSM decision.
Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu, Ruben Latcau (Deputy Mayor of USR Timisoara), Diana Mardarovici, PNL councillor, Cătălin Teniță (USR) complete the list.
In this decision, which the CSM says it will also communicate to international bodies, the Council also complains about the “malicious attitude of a part of the media” and gives G4Media as an example, accusing that in the last year the publication wrote 405 “negative” articles about justice. The Recorder publications, through the documentary “Captured Justice”, and PressHub also appear on the list.
