Romania's Justice Ministry has published a Strategy for Development of Justice as Public Service 2010-2014, a document due to be forwarded for public consultation before it is adopted by the Government. The strategy in its initial form is structured in "major" and "minor reform", proposes substantial changes to the act of justice and contains a series of vague proposals on sensitive issues.

Provisions of the Strategy:

Minor Reform

simplified subpoena procedures, multi-party cases includedelimination of appeal for certain types of casesreduced responsibilities for the High Court of Justice, related especially to penal cases, a move aimed at simplifying the role of the High Courtchanges to the norms of procedure - included in the draft penal procedure code) aimed at cutting down the number of files tackled by judiciary bodies

Major Reform

1. Changes to Law 303/2004 on the statue of judges and prosecutors

a lower number of activities seen as incompatible or illegal for judges and prosecutors (HN note: judges and prosecutors are currently now allowed to get involved in a series of activities including commerce, for example. It is yet unclear what such a reduction would involve)a review of delegation and transfer proceduresa review of material and disciplinary accountability of magistratesa reevaluation and possible review of the disciplinary action procedures by boosting the role of the Justice Ministry in such procedures (HN note: disciplinary action against magistrates was the exclusive responsibility of the Supreme Council of Magistrates so far)providing the prosecutor general with the role to apply certain minor disciplinary sanctions on prosecutors directly; and providing the presidents of courts of appeals with the role to apply certain minor disciplinary sanctions on judges directlya review of procedures to select candidat