For the first time in its history, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Republic of Moldova is developing an Institutional Development Strategy. More than a planning document, it is an opportunity for the Court to define its long-term direction, reaffirm the values that will guide its work, and shape its future within a rapidly evolving judicial system.

The timing is no coincidence. In recent years, the Supreme Court of Justice has undergone profound transformation. Legislative reform has redefined its role within the justice system, placing greater emphasis on ensuring the uniform interpretation and application of the law. The reform and the external evaluation process have reshaped the composition of the Court, bringing together judges with diverse professional backgrounds, including judges from outside the judiciary.

Against this backdrop, the Strategy is an opportunity to reflect on the Court's role, the values that should guide its work, and the direction it wishes to pursue as the highest court.

In June, the Supreme Court of Justice took another important step in developing its Institutional Development Strategy for the period 2026–2030. During a workshop, judges, judicial assistants and Secretariat staff worked together on the draft document, discussing the institution's mission, vision, values and strategic priorities.

"The discussions during the workshop were at times very heated, and this is to be expected, because it is precisely in heated discussions that good ideas and the truth emerge," said Stela Procopciuc, Acting President of the Supreme Court of Justice.

For the Acting President, the Strategy is not simply about setting objectives. It is about defining the kind of Supreme Court the institution aspires to become: a leading court that guides the development of predictable case law, sets high professional standards and, above all, serves citizens with integrity and efficiency.

“This represents a fundamental recalibration of the Supreme Court of Justice's role. Lower courts, legal professionals and citizens should be able to rely on the Court's judgments as authoritative guidance. In this way, a smaller number of Supreme Court judgments can have a greater impact across the justice system.”

The draft Strategy’s captures this ambition by envisioning "a modern, efficient and transparent Supreme Court of Justice, recognised as the supreme authority in ensuring consistent and predictable case law," where the Court’s success is measured not only by the individiual cases it decides, but by the authority and impact of its judgments across the justice system.

For judicial assistant Silvia Calaraș, this transformation begins with the quality of the Court's judgments. "If we, too, are to take on the role of leaders within the system, then we must be good at this. Or even excellent."

In her view, judgments must be clear, well-structured and well-reasoned, so that they serve not only legal professionals but also members of the public seeking to understand the Court's reasoning.

The Strategy translates this vision into action through objectives which include strengthening mechanisms for identifying divergences in case law, developing professional skills and improving the communication of the Court’s case law to the public.

While defining its long-term direction, the Court also continues to address immediate operational challenges. Among the most significant is the substantial backlog of pending cases that seems to be “the greatest difficulty” of the Court, as Silvia Caracaș says. To achieve this, the Strategy provides for measures aimed at better understanding the causes of case accumulation and prevent new backlogs through improved management, organisational measures and more efficient working methods.

For judicial assistant Tudor Andriuța, one of the greatest strengths of the Strategy development process was precisely this practical approach: "I appreciated the fact that the process was not limited to mere abstract formalities, but raised concrete questions regarding the mission, vision, lines of action, indicators and responsibilities to be assumed.”

The Strategy's success will depend on how effectively its objectives are translated into the Court's day-to-day work and, above all, on the benefits delivered to court users: clearer judgments, more predictable case law, more efficient procedures and a more open institution.

"The institutional development strategy is intended to be not merely a formal document, but must represent a firm commitment by the Supreme Court of Justice to be a court of integrity, efficiency and dictated to serving citizens," the Acting President concludes.

Once adopted by the Plenary, the Strategy will provide a shared direction for an institution undergoing profound transformation and to support the development of a Court distinguished by quality, consistency, integrity and public trust.