CHISINAU, March 26. /TASS/. Head of the Gagauz Autonomy of Moldova Evghenia Gutsul was detained at the Chisinau airport because she was banned from leaving the country, the Prosecutor General's Office said on its Facebook page (banned in Russia; owned by the Meta corporation, recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation).
"A routine check during border control established that she is listed in the information systems with a status of a ban on leaving the country. In accordance with the legal procedures, the competent authorities were immediately informed. Subsequently, this person was detained for 72 hours by the National Anti-Corruption Center in cooperation with the Chisinau prosecutors. The case is currently being investigated by authorized agencies to clarify all the circumstances," it said.
Parliament member, one of the activists of the opposition parties bloc Pobeda Vasily Bolya linked the detention with repression against the opposition being prepared by Moldovan President Maia Sandu and the ruling Action and Solidarity Party before the parliamentary elections. According to the deputy, lawyer Denis Ulanov considers the detention legally invalid, since Gutsul did not commit any actions that could interfere with the investigation.
On March 25, Gutsul was detained for 72 hours at the Chisinau airport, from where she was going to go to Istanbul at the invitation of a journalistic association. The National Anticorruption Center (NAC), where the head of Gagauzia was taken at night, promised to reveal all the details on March 26. Deputies of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia will hold an emergency meeting on the same day.
In 2024, prosecutors accused Gutsul of violations in financing the Shor party, which was liquidated last year. The trial is still ongoing. The politician calls the criminal case fabricated and accuses the Moldovan authorities of exerting pressure.
After winning the elections in 2023, the new head of Gagauzia said she intended to strengthen the region's friendly relations with Russia and criticized Chisinau's policy of confrontation with Moscow.
Moldova tried to declare the elections illegal, and prosecutors from Chisinau raided the Central Election Commission of the autonomy. However, Parliament of Gagauzia stood by Gutsul, and several mass rallies were held in support of the new leader. Sandu refused to sign a decree approving Gutsul as a government member, although this is required by Moldovan law.