The document summarizes the reforms implemented over the last four years in the judiciary and prosecutor’s office. The agency emphasized the assessment of integrity through pre-vetting and vetting procedures.
Integrity assessment(pre-vetting and vetting)
The reform was implemented in stages and included the evaluation of candidates to the Superior Council of Magistracy and the Superior Council of Prosecutors, judges of the Superior Court of Justice and Appellate Chambers, as well as court management and prosecutors of the Prosecutor General’s Office and specialized prosecutor’s offices.
The report data show that in the period 2022-2024, the pre-screening (pre-vetting) enabled the formation of the new composition of the Superior Council of Magistracy (SCM) and the Superior Council of Prosecutors (SCP), with approximately 133 candidates evaluated.
With regard to the integrity testing of judges, by the end of 2025, about 60% of those in the procedure had been evaluated. Of the 202 judges, 72 passed the assessment, 39 failed, 69 resigned, and 22 cases were still pending.
During this period, new mechanisms to ensure independence and integrity were established, while the authorities recognize that some of the reforms were delayed.
Delayed reforms
In the case of prosecutors, for example, the pace of reform has been slower. Of the 158 prosecutors evaluated, 19 passed, five failed, 27 resigned, and 104 cases are still pending.
In addition, the delay was attributed to the fact that the new evaluation panels at the SCM and the VSP did not begin operations until 2025, after the completion of the pre-provisional process.
According to the report, the basic thrust of the reform was the legislative strengthening of the independence of the judiciary and the prosecutor’s office.
Thus, constitutional provisions and legislation concerning the functioning of the SCM and the SCJ, the appointment of judges of the Supreme Court of Justice, as well as evaluation and promotion mechanisms were amended.
Changes in disciplinarymechanisms
The document indicates that disciplinary mechanisms have been strengthened. The legislation on the operation of the Judicial Inspectorate and disciplinary procedures was amended.
The Prosecutors’ Inspectorate was removed from the jurisdiction of the Prosecutor General’s Office and placed under the HSP, and the number of inspectors was increased.
Nevertheless, not all positions in the Prosecutors’ Inspectorate were filled, which affected the institution’s activities and handling of disciplinary cases.
Of the total number of actions planned for 2022-2025, 71% have been fully implemented, while another 19% are in progress or partially implemented.
As a result, according to the Public Opinion Barometer, the level of citizens’ trust in the judiciary increased in the last year of the Strategy implementation from 15% in 2024 to 27.5% in 2025.
