President of the Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM) Gheorghe-Liviu Odagiu said on Thursday in Targu Mures that workload standards for magistrates will definitely be introduced, and that this is just a matter of time, as case numbers continue to rise while human resources become increasingly limited.
Odagiu noted that the number of cases is growing steadily, while staffing levels have dropped and efforts to rebalance personnel "hit a wall". The workload-standard mechanism is already in an advanced stage of preparation, and what remains is implementation. "Standardisation will happen. It is not optional, it is a certainty - whether as of March 15, April 1, or May 5. It is just a minor matter of timing," the CSM president told a press conference at the Targu Mures Court of Appeal.
He stressed that the initiative is not a reaction to the government's repeated attempts to amend the magistrates' status, particularly regarding service pensions, but a process launched in mid-2022, before the current legislative proposals.
Odagiu added that at least one more technical meeting is needed, focused on how cases will be allocated. He warned that Romanian judges handle four times the average workload of their European counterparts. If comparisons with Europe are used to justify reducing service pensions, then fairness also requires aligning workloads, he argued.
He also urged lawmakers to relieve courts of cases that do not belong there, such as minor neighbourhood disputes, which could be resolved through alternative mechanisms. "We did not start with standardisation; we started with proposals to reduce the courts' burden," he said.
Romanian courts currently have around 3.6 million cases pending, Odagiu said, adding that he has repeatedly informed both the justice minister and the prime minister, since January, about the severe staffing shortages, and asked for the magistrates' admission exam to be unblocked.
"Unfortunately, our requests received absolutely no response," he said, pointing out that the judiciary is not asking for extra money or benefits, but only for permission to hire new magistrates to handle the overwhelming caseload.
He also highlighted the need to avoid constant legislative changes, calling for serious debate before adopting reforms to prevent rapid subsequent amendments.
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