Gagauzia’s People’s Assembly to convene amid controversial verdict against leader

The People’s Assembly of Gagauzia has announced it will hold an extraordinary session on August 6 to address the ramifications of the recent verdict against Evghenia Guțul, the leader of the autonomous region.

This development was disclosed by the Assembly’s press service via their official Telegram channel, Caliber.Az reports.

According to the statement, the primary focus of the meeting will be to deliberate on the socio-political repercussions stemming from what has been described as the “unlawful conviction” of the bashkan, the highest-ranking official in Gagauzia.

To recall, a Moldovan court sentenced the leader of the autonomous Gagauzia region, Evghenia Guțul, to seven years in prison for funneling Russian funds to the illegal Shor party between 2019 and 2022.

Guțul was convicted of regularly directing Russian financing into the pro-Russian party, Shor, while working as its secretary from 2019 until 2022, as well as coordinating party activities and paying protesters. The party was banned by the Constitutional Court in 2023 over its efforts to destabilize the country, just weeks after the EU sanctioned its leader because of his links to Moscow.

The trial on August 5 ended the day after Moldovan authorities warned that Russia is ramping up efforts to influence Moldovans living across Europe, aiming to sway critical parliamentary elections next month.

By Vafa Guliyeva