Critic of Moldova's pro-Western government denounces her arrest

(MENAFN) Yevgenia Gutsul, a strong critic of Moldova's pro-Western government and leader of the autonomous Gagauzia region, has denounced her arrest, claiming the charges against her are politically motivated. Gutsul was detained on Tuesday at Chisinau’s international airport, with Moldovan authorities stating she was on a wanted list. In a statement made through her lawyers, she accused the Moldovan government of attempting to dismantle Gagauzia's autonomy through legal pressures targeting her administration.

Gutsul, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election in Gagauzia, said her arrest was part of a broader effort by the Moldovan government to undermine the region's autonomy. She claimed that law enforcement, controlled by the ruling PAS party, has been pressuring her with false criminal charges for two years.

Moldovan officials have suggested that Gutsul's election campaign was linked to financial irregularities and that she is part of a Russian influence campaign aimed at destabilizing Moldova’s EU accession efforts. Gutsul's election has been criticized by President Maia Sandu, who has referred to her former party, Shor, as a "criminal organization." The party was banned by a court in 2023.

Gutsul has called for international intervention, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to exert pressure on the Moldovan government to protect Gagauzia's rights. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov condemned the arrest, accusing the Moldovan government of ignoring democratic principles and political pluralism.

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