On 15 May 2026, the National Union of Judicial Officers of Romania celebrated the 25th anniversary of its foundation during a congress held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bucharest.
The event gathered numerous distinguished guests from the Romanian judiciary and legal community, as well as international representatives. The opening ceremony started at 10:00 a.m. with a welcome address delivered by Mr. Bogdan Maghiar, President of the National Union of Judicial Officers of Romania (UNEJ).
Among the high-level speakers were Ms. Laura-Iuliana Scântei, Judge at the Constitutional Court of Romania, Ms. Teodora Stoian, State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice, and Ms. Alina-Ștefania Gorghiu, former Minister of Justice and Deputy, President of the Legal, Discipline and Immunities Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania, together with many other representatives of the legal professions and institutional partners.
The International Union of Judicial Officers (UIHJ) and the European Union of Judicial Officers (UEHJ) were represented by Mr. Marc Schmitz, President of the UIHJ and the UEHJ, Mr. Ilias Tsipos, Vice-President of the UEHJ, and Mr. Paulo Duarte Pinto, member of the Executive Committee of the UEHJ.
During his speech, President Schmitz recalled the long-standing relationship between the UIHJ and the Romanian profession, dating back to the mid-1990s and the discussions leading to the creation of an independent liberal profession of judicial officers in Romania. He highlighted Romania’s accession to the UIHJ in 2000 and the establishment of the National Union of Judicial Officers in 2001.
He also underlined the active role played by UNEJ within the international professional community over the last twenty-five years, notably through the organisation of the UIHJ Permanent Council in Bucharest in 2007, the conferences held in Sibiu, and the cooperation with Ovidius University of Constanța. The speech further emphasised the essential role of judicial officers in guaranteeing the effective enforcement of justice, while addressing the modern challenges linked to digitalisation, artificial intelligence, ethics, and the preservation of the human dimension of the profession.
The congress provided an important opportunity to reflect on the remarkable evolution of the Romanian profession over the past quarter century and on the crucial role played by judicial officers in strengthening the rule of law and access to justice.
The celebrations concluded with a gala dinner attended by the participants and guests.
The UIHJ warmly thanks the National Union of Judicial Officers of Romania for its 25 years of loyalty, commitment, and active contribution to the international community of judicial officers. Over the years, UNEJ has consistently demonstrated its dedication to the values of our profession and to the strengthening of international cooperation. The UIHJ expresses its sincere gratitude for everything UNEJ has accomplished in support of the profession, both in Romania and internationally.
