Moldovan Court Imprisons Gagauzia Leader
(MENAFN) A judiciary panel in aspiring EU member Moldova has handed down a seven-year prison term to the head of Gagauzia, a self-governing territory, over allegations of unlawfully backing a Euroskeptic political movement.
Evgenia Gutsul, who rejected all allegations and argued the proceedings were driven by political motives, was found guilty of acquiring unauthorized campaign finances from a structured criminal network and redirecting them to the SOR party, known for its Euroskeptic stance and outlawed in 2023.
She also faced accusations of remunerating individuals to take part in demonstrations opposing the government, orchestrated by SOR in 2022.
Beyond the incarceration, the court mandated Gutsul to reimburse the state with 40 million Moldovan lei (approximately $2.3 million).
In the same legal matter, Svetlana Popan, once a secretary at the SOR’s Central Office, received a six-year imprisonment. Both sentences are subject to appeal.
Speaking about the decision, Gutsul’s attorney, Sergiu Moraru, commented, “this is not a trial, but a public execution… I can’t say that there is evidence there, there is fiction.”
The courtroom proceedings drew a throng of demonstrators to the premises, where some were heard chanting “Shame on [Moldovan President] Maia Sandu.”
A rival protest also unfolded nearby, compelling police to form a protective barrier.
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