Staggering amidst the beating of the drums…

It was on 18 June 2025 that the European Parliament Resolution on the Commission's 2024 Rule of Law Report was approved.

At a time when the drums of war are beating ever louder, Parliament reaffirms that the European Union is founded on the values ​​of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights, including the rights of minorities. These values ​​are common to all Member States and must be protected and promoted by all.

Parliament also highlighted the need for independent, impartial and accessible justice systems, free from political interference, to ensure fair justice. It highlighted that public perceptions of corruption remain high among European citizens and pose a threat to democracy and the rule of law.

This body also highlighted the need to value freedom and pluralism of the media, condemning attacks on journalists, excessive concentration of ownership and political interference in news content.

The aforementioned document recognizes the central role of civil society organizations in defending the rule of law and fundamental rights.

The need to continue to combat all forms of discrimination (gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, religion, disability, etc.) and to ensure equality before the law is highlighted, showing that there are institutions in the various Member States that do not take due account of basic legal rules.

Parliament also stresses the importance of the separation of powers and transparent legislative processes, stressing that respect for the rule of law is essential for the proper functioning of the single market, investor confidence and the EU's economic competitiveness.

As regards the Public Prosecutor's Office (which has different forms in each country), it is clear that it is essential for a Member State's ability to combat crime and corruption. Parliament also deplores any government or political interference in corruption investigations and recalls that no one is above the law. Finally, it condemns the misuse of the judicial system for political ends, including the persecution of political opponents and interference in corruption investigations.

At a time when the public perception of the Public Prosecutor's Office and its capacity to respond to the needs of Justice is being questioned by many, due to the lack of public elements to analyze the procedural (and labor) load, and in the certainty that a magistrate is more than a number on an Excel sheet, I went to the public website “Justice Statistics” .

If the Code of Criminal Procedure sets a maximum period of 9 months for most criminal proceedings, we are pleased that the average for all criminal investigations in the country is 7.7 months. The district with the shortest investigation duration is Beja (6.23 months) and the longest is Portalegre (14 months). Lisbon has an average investigation duration of 7.1 months, Coimbra of 8.8 months and Porto of 7.8 months.

This statistic shows that things are not as bad as we perceive, due to some more high-profile cases, the result of the dedication and daily work, with high levels of responsibility and ethics, of Public Prosecution Service magistrates.

A magistrate is not a finished product and their training is something that should make any Portuguese person proud, given that we have such a prestigious judicial academy as the Centre for Judicial Studies. However, it is also time-consuming, given the responsibilities of being a magistrate and, of course, there are material limitations to training that everyone is aware of.

It is expected that each person will reflect individually on the current situation, the future situation (since, after teaching and assessment by the CEJ were ensured, internships have been shortened), in an environment of trust, respect and inclusion, analyzing the organizational climate, with a focus on solutions.

It may seem like a theoretical, distant and empty speech, but the European Union is based on the values ​​of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights, including the rights of minorities, and it is up to each of us and the national institutions to implement these values ​​on a daily basis – this is “action in law”!

The texts in this section reflect the personal opinions of the authors. They do not represent VISÃO nor do they reflect its editorial position.