A criminal case against the governor of the Moldovan Gagauzia region has been filed in court, the Moldovan prosecutor’s office announced last night, as quoted by Reuters.
This creates prerequisites for her to be tried on charges of channeling funds from Russia to a pro-Moscow party, the agency notes.
Yevgenia Gutsul, the leader (baskhan) of Gagauzia, became famous last year and won the elections for the head of the autonomous region. It has strained relations with the central government in Chisinau, which fears that Russia and exiled oligarchs are interfering in the country’s political life.
Gutsul is accused of channeling funds from Russia in 2019-2022 to finance the now-banned pro-Russian party Shor, founded by Ilan Shor, an exiled pro-Russian businessman convicted of fraud in Moldova. According to the prosecutor’s office, “Gutsul actively participated in the systematic introduction of unaccounted financial funds into the Republic of Moldova, which were received by an organized criminal group, primarily from the Russian Federation.”
The Gagauz leader is known for her strong pro-Russian views and calls for closer ties with Moscow, calling the case fabricated in a statement on her Telegram channel. If found guilty, she could face 2 to 7 years in prison and be barred from holding public office, the statement said.
