Leader of Moldova’s autonomous region of Gagauzia gets arrested
(MENAFN)
Yevgenia Gutsul, the leader of Moldova’s autonomous region of Gagauzia and a strong critic of the country’s pro-Western government, was arrested on Tuesday evening at Chisinau’s international airport. Authorities claim she was on a wanted list, and her detention is reportedly linked to financial irregularities during the 2023 Gagauzia gubernatorial election, which she won.
Yevgenia Gutsul, the leader of Moldova’s autonomous region of Gagauzia and a strong critic of the country’s pro-Western government, was arrested on Tuesday evening at Chisinau’s international airport. Authorities claim she was on a wanted list, and her detention is reportedly linked to financial irregularities during the 2023 Gagauzia gubernatorial election, which she won.
In a statement issued through her lawyers on Thursday, Gutsul alleged the charges were politically motivated and part of a broader attempt by Moldova’s central government to erode Gagauzia’s autonomy. “This arrest isn’t just about me—it’s a deliberate strategy by Chisinau to dismantle our self-governance,” she declared. She accused Moldova’s ruling PAS party of fabricating legal cases against her over the past two years to suppress dissent.
The Moldovan government argues that Gutsul is involved in a Russian-backed operation meant to derail the country's EU ambitions. President Maia Sandu has also questioned Gutsul’s legitimacy and labeled her former political party, 'Shor'—which was banned by a court in 2023—as a criminal group.
Gutsul has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to support Gagauzia’s rights and autonomy.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized the arrest, saying Moldova is ignoring democratic norms and using state power to silence opposition. He drew a parallel to Romania’s recent annulment of a presidential election result, where authorities blamed Russian interference—though media reports indicated the misinformation campaign may have originated from the ruling party itself.
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