Romanian prosecutor accuses judiciary of dictatorship after judges sanctioned over Chițoiu sentence

CSM prosecutor Claudiu Sandu has accused Romania's judiciary of operating as a dictatorship following disciplinary sanctions against two judges from the Pitești Court of Appeal. The judges, Ioan Fundătureanu and Costin Andrei Stancu, were penalised for how they justified increasing former minister Daniel Chițoiu's sentence to four years in prison with execution. Sandu said on Facebook that the penalties send an intimidating message to magistrates who challenge court leadership or deliver uncomfortable rulings.

Sandu argued the disciplinary decision was not based on professional shortcomings but represented pressure on the two judges. He claimed the real motive was one magistrate's past candidacy to lead the Pitești appeal court against a candidate favoured by the judicial leadership, referring to Bogdan Mateescu, a former CSM president. Sandu wrote that the monarchy at the top of justice wanted to send a clear message that no one should dare contest the wishes of leaders.

“In conditions where all magistrates in the case interpreted a legal provision in the same way, and four CSM judges concluded that we committed no disciplinary breach, I consider that I can no longer solve criminal cases because the message coming from above is clear: do not touch politicians!”

The prosecutor linked the sanctions to the case of former judge Laurențiu Beșu, in which the CSM rejected a Judicial Inspectorate action the day before while publicly stating that Beșu had violated deliberation secrecy. Sandu warned that independent magistrates face the inspectorate, while those who work conscientiously mistakenly believe they will find nothing, insisting that something is always found.

Sandu cautioned that the sanctions could discourage future candidates for CSM elections scheduled in two years. He argued magistrates would end up free to choose only candidates approved by the system's leadership.

In a separate development, judge Costin Andrei Stancu resigned from the leadership of the Pitești Court of Appeal on the morning of Friday, 6 November 2026. He also requested transfer from the criminal section to section I civil of the same court, saying he could no longer handle criminal cases because the message from above was clear: do not touch politicians.

Stancu stated that all magistrates involved had interpreted a legal provision in the same way, and four CSM judges had concluded no disciplinary breach occurred. He said the disciplinary section's decision was a clear signal discouraging judges from instrumenting cases involving political defendants.

The disciplinary decision against judges Fundătureanu and Stancu passed by a narrow majority of five to four in the CSM judges' section. Judicial sources said the five members supporting the disciplinary action were Liviu Odagiu, Elena Costache, Alin Ene, Claudiu Drăgușin and Denisa Stănișor, while magistrates Grațiela Milu, Narcis Erculescu and Laura opposed it.