Portugal’s Justice Minister, Paula Teixeira da Cruz, (pictured) has taken action in the Citius computer system fisaco and after a month of the country’s court system remaining at a standstill, is ‘preparing’ a law to suspend judicial deadlines.
The Ministry of Justice informed an eager press today that the embattled minister is preparing a legislative project to suspend judicial deadlines as the computer system has failed to function for the past month.
The announcement was made days after the Superior Council of Magistrates and Prosecutors made an appeal to the Minister of Justice, pointing out that many cases will run out of time due to the enforced suspension of the republic’s judicial system. This will delight many crooks, swindlers and thieves but will not be seen as justice by those adversely affected.
The Ministry of Justice did point out that Citius is working OK in the Açores and its staff are doing a survey of the remaining judicial regions to see which might be next in this lucky dip.
The computer work is going on "during the night and at weekends so as not to interfere with the normal functioning of the courts and so as not to cause any more constraints on the daily work of judges, prosecutors, bailiffs and lawyers," was just a part of today's laughable statement.
In reality most courts are at a standstill and the Justice Department has faced a barrage of complaints from lawyers and prosecutors, especially regarding the urgent need to suspend the procedural deadlines because of the computer system, "draft legislation already is prepared to safeguard any problems arising from the disturbances generated," was the final word from a Justice Ministry that has failed to respond swiftly and competently to this crisis as we approach a month’s computer downtime.
