Africa-Press – Cape verde. The Statute of Judicial Magistrates was approved unanimously on Friday in general terms. National deputies approved three bills for the Justice sector.
The bills aim to strengthen the country’s legal framework, combat procedural delays, guarantee working conditions for justice professionals and modernize the judicial system.
The proposal regarding the statute of magistrates provides for an increase in magistrates’ remuneration and was widely debated, especially with regard to fiscal impacts.
The Minister of Justice, Joana Rosa, defended the creation of a decent salary for magistrates, compatible with the demands of the position and with the reforms underway.
The discussion covered several issues, including the need to improve salary conditions and the independence of the Judiciary, while also seeking to increase the demands and responsibilities of magistrates.
The minister also addressed the issue of tax and customs judges, highlighting the need to guarantee these professionals a status that reflects their functions, after years of disputes over promotions. Joana Rosa clarified that the internship period, as provided for in current legislation, is already 18 months. She also explained that the measure that reduced the training period to 12 months was extraordinary and temporary, only for assistant judges and assistant prosecutors, aiming to fill the list of Barlavento, which has a small number of judges, and Sotavento, which also has only one judge. Another point discussed was the entry of judges at the beginning of the judicial year. The minister justified this practice, highlighting that the districts of entry have specific demands, and it is essential to guarantee the presence of qualified magistrates from the beginning of the year. The bill that enshrines the general principles of the administration of justice and regulates the organisation, composition, jurisdiction and operation of the courts of law and the tax and customs courts was also approved with 60 votes in favour, including 36 MPs from the MpD, 22 from the PAICV and two MPs from the UCID.
The third piece of legislation analysed and approved unanimously was the bill that amends for the first time Law No. 2/VIII/2011, of 20 June, which approves the Statute of Public Prosecution Service Magistrates.
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