Latest news with #Gutsul
Russia Today
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Court extends Moldovan governor's arrest
A court in Moldova has ordered Governor Yevgenia Gutsul, who heads the autonomous region of Gagauzia, to be held in custody for 20 days. Prosecutors had asked for her to be remanded for one month. Gutsul is a vocal critic of the country's pro-Western government. The official was first detained on Tuesday at Chisinau International Airport, with the Moldovan authorities saying she was on a wanted list. On Friday, prosecutors said the governor stood accused of complicity in illegal campaign financing in the 2023 election. The politician won the governor's post in Gagauzia that year. She was also charged with falsifying documents. Law enforcement officials did not provide any further details about the charges, citing a pending investigation. Gutsul herself maintains her innocence. Her lawyers have denounced the court decision as 'absurd' and vowed to appeal. 'When there are no legal arguments [in favor of such a court decision], there are other arguments. I believe they are political in this case,' one of the politician's lawyers, Sergiu Moraru, told journalists after the hearing. Read more Kremlin responds to arrested Moldovan governor's appeal to Putin The governor herself labeled the investigation a 'political case' linked to her role as Gagauzia's leader. She has accused Chisinau of pursuing a plan to dismantle the region's autonomy through lawfare targeting her administration. The Gagauz are a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Orthodox Christian ethnic group living in southern Moldova. Their region has been granted broad rights to self-government. On Thursday, Gutsul appealed to both Russia and Türkiye to apply pressure on Moldovan President Maia Sandu's administration in defense of Gagauzia's rights. The Kremlin responded that it had 'reviewed' Gutsul's request. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the actions of the Moldovan authorities are at odds with the democratic principles proclaimed by the West. Chisinau claims that Gutsul is part of a Russian influence operation aimed at disrupting the country's attempts to become a member of the EU. Moscow has accused Moldova of cracking down on politicians and journalists who advocate closer ties with Russia.
Russia Today
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Kremlin responds to arrested Moldovan governor's appeal to Putin
The Kremlin said on Thursday it had reviewed an appeal by Yevgenia Gutsul, the detained leader of Moldova's autonomous Gagauzia region, to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking for help in securing her release. Gutsul was taken into custody on Tuesday evening at Chisinau International Airport, with the Moldovan authorities saying she was on a wanted list. In a statement released via her lawyers on Thursday, she accused the government of pursuing a plan to dismantle the region of Gagauzia's autonomy through lawfare targeting her administration. Also on Thursday, Gutsul appealed to both Russia and Türkiye to apply pressure on Moldovan President Maia Sandu's administration in defense of Gagauzia's rights. In her message to Putin – published on her Telegram channel – she said the region looks 'with hope and faith to Russia,' a country that has 'never betrayed friends' and always stood by those 'who fight for the truth and their legal rights.' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to TASS that Moscow had 'reviewed' Gutsul's request, and said her detention was at odds with the democratic principles proclaimed by the West. Read more EU candidate's pro-Western government arrests autonomous region's leader Peskov had already condemned the arrest on Wednesday, calling on Moldovan authorities to stop putting pressure on political opponents. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova echoed that criticism, accusing the government in Chisinau of cracking down on politicians and journalists who advocate for closer ties with Moscow. According to Moldovan media, Gutsul was taken into custody as part of an investigation into the 2023 gubernatorial election in Gagauzia, which she won. Her campaign was accused of financial irregularities. The Moldovan government claims that Gutsul is part of a Russian influence operation aimed at disrupting the country's attempts to become a member of the EU. The Gagauz are a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Orthodox Christian ethnic group living in southern Moldova. Their region, Gagauzia, has been granted broad rights to self-government. Sandu has questioned Gutsul's mandate as governor, denouncing her former party 'Shor' as a 'criminal organization.' A court in Chisinau banned the party in 2023.
