Mandatory prior investigation and hearing required for written reprimand of public official.

The High Court of Cassation and Justice, sitting as the Panel for Resolving Questions of Law, admitted a referral from the Târgu Mureș Court of Appeal and established that, under Article 493(3) in relation to Article 493(1) of Emergency Government Ordinance No. 57/2019 (the Administrative Code), prior investigation and the hearing of the public official are mandatory prerequisites for the direct application of the disciplinary sanction of "written reprimand." This decision resolves a procedural dispute concerning the validity of administrative disciplinary measures imposed on public servants, clarifying that failure to conduct these preliminary steps renders such sanctions legally deficient. The ruling is based on the interpretation of specific provisions of the Romanian Administrative Code regarding disciplinary procedures and is binding pursuant to Article 521(3) of the Code of Civil Procedure.