The governor of Gagauzia, an autonomous region within Moldova, was sentenced to seven years in prison on Tuesday, in a ruling that critics say reflects a broader crackdown on political opposition ahead of parliamentary elections next month.
Evghenia Guțul, who has served as the governor of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia since 2023, was convicted by a court in Chișinău for illegally financing her election campaign. Prosecutors alleged that she received financial support from the banned Șor Party, led by exiled opposition figure Ilan Shor.
At the courthouse, Guțul bid farewell to her family and supporters before being taken into custody to begin her sentence in a penal colony.
Since taking office, Guțul has emerged as a vocal opponent of pro-European Union President Maia Sandu. She has faced repeated detentions by Moldovan authorities, including a widely publicized incident in March when she was arrested at Chișinău International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Turkey. Her passport was confiscated, and she was initially detained for 72 hours, later extended to 20 days. The arrest triggered protests both in Gagauzia and in Chișinău.
Critics of President Sandu allege that her administration has increasingly targeted opposition voices. In June 2023, a Moldovan court banned the Șor Party, accusing it of corruption and illegal foreign financing. Guțul’s 2023 gubernatorial campaign was alleged to have received funding from the same party, a charge she has denied.
Gagauzia, a region predominantly inhabited by Orthodox Christian Turkic Gagauz people, has a complicated relationship with the Moldovan central government. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the region declared independence in 1990 but avoided armed conflict due to Moldova’s concurrent war over Transnistria. In 1994, Gagauzia agreed to reintegrate with Moldova in exchange for regional autonomy.
Over the years, Gagauz leadership, including Guțul, has maintained strong ties with Moscow. In March 2024, Guțul met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and has warned that if Moldova seeks reunification with Romania, she would push for Gagauz independence and seek Russian protection.