Recommends that the Government completes the review of the Statute of Judicial Officials and proceeds with the urgent hiring of judicial officials

Explanatory Memorandum

Multiple aspects relating to the professional status of justice officials have long depended on the revision of the respective Statute. The daily functioning of the courts owes much to these professionals who, both in terms of enhancing their careers and in terms of working conditions, have witnessed the postponement of this review and the failure by Governments to comply with standards that are included in the Laws of State Budget for 2019, 2020 (article 38) and 2021 (article 39).

The PCP considers that the situation is urgent enough for the revision of the Statute of Justice Officials to be published in 2024.

The procedural recovery supplement that should be paid 14 months a year (and not 11 months), twenty years later has not yet materialized despite being a continuous promise from successive Governments and, since 2019, it has been an integral part of Resolutions approved by the Assembly of the Republic.

The number of bailiffs has been drastically reduced in recent years. In the last two decades, the courts have lost more than 2,500 employees, creating a deficit in human resources that technological innovation is far from filling.

Furthermore, currently, around 60% of judicial officers are 50 years of age or over and around 25% are 60 years of age or over, showing a decrease of around 30% of judicial officers in the last decade.

It is therefore essential that a policy for hiring employees for the courts be adopted in the coming years to overcome this deficit.

The Revision of the Statute of Judicial Officials approved by Decree-Law 343/99, of August 26, has been awaiting a review for several years, in a negotiation process that is already excessively time-consuming and without any justification other than the lack of political will of successive Governments. to negotiate with the representatives of these workers.

In this sense, the PCP considers it essential that a competition be opened to recruit the necessary employees and that the negotiation of the Judicial Employees Statute be initiated and concluded.

Therefore, in accordance with subparagraph b) of article 156 of the Constitution and subparagraph b) of no. 1 of article 4 of the Rules of Procedure, the Deputies of the PCP Parliamentary Group propose that the Assembly of the Republic adopts the following

Resolution

The Assembly of the Republic resolves, in accordance with paragraph 5 of article 166 of the Constitution, to recommend to the Government that:

1. During 2024, complete the review of the Justice Officials Statute.
2. Create 1500 vacancies in the Courts to recruit judicial employees and integrate them into their respective careers.
3. The filling of the vacancies provided for in the previous number is the responsibility of the Directorate-General for the Administration of Justice, being for this purpose exempt from obtaining authorizations from members of the Government, and is completed within the following deadlines:
   1. 50% by the end of 2025;
   2. 100% by the end of 2026.
4. The necessary funds for hiring for 2024 will be made available by the Ministry of Justice, as long as they are requested by the General Directorate of the Administration of Justice.