Romania's Top Court Orders Government to Pay Magistrates 1 Billion Euro in Arrears

Romania's High Court of Cassation and Justice (ÎCCJ) ruled on Thursday that the government must pay approximately 5.2 billion lei (1 billion euro) in salary arrears to magistrates. The decision rejects an appeal filed by the interim Bolojan government and the Finance Ministry against a May ruling by the Bucharest Court of Appeal.

The Supreme Court, led by President Lia Savonea, declared the ruling final and enforceable, ordering payment within 10 days. Failure to comply triggers penalties of 1% per day. The funds cover retroactive salary increases granted by previous court decisions.

“The state cannot recognize the existence of a debt through its own normative acts and, at the same time, refuse to ensure the resources necessary for its execution.”

The court criticized the executive's refusal to allocate funds for obligations recognized by the government's own normative acts. It stated that the state cannot acknowledge a debt through legislation while simultaneously refusing to provide resources for its execution.

The Constitutional Court previously dismissed an attempt by interim Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan to intervene in the dispute. The payment obligation now falls to the incoming government expected to be led by Luca Niculescu, pending a parliamentary vote of confidence.