MOSCOW, August 16. /TASS/. Moldova is going through its biggest crisis since it gained independence 30 years ago, says Yevgenia Gutul, head of the autonomous region of Gagauzia, executive secretary of the "Victory" opposition bloc.

According to the official, the Moldovan economy is crippled under the current government, and can hardly keep up with its debts.

"Moldovan intelligence agencies do not hunt foreign agents, these agents of foreign influence - namely, President Maia Sandu, Parliament Speaker [Igor] Grosu, Prime Minister [Dorin] Recean and other figures with Romanian citizenship - have occupied the managing offices and order the intelligence agencies to hunt down true, honest patriots of Moldova. Our country is seeing its most difficult period in these 30 years of independence. These foreigners with passports from our neighboring country, those occupying the top offices, couldn’t care less about the growth of our economy, about attracting investment, about creating new jobs. On the contrary, they suffocate the economy, they oblige businessmen to pay into the PAS [the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity - TASS] budget under the guise of donations, and this is a real racket," Gutul said ahead of the third "Victory" congress, which will take place in Moscow.

The official pointed out that major foreign investors, who employed thousands of people, have left the country. According to Gutul, the nation’s budget deficit exceeds $910 million, with domestic debt approaching $2.8 billion and external national debt approaching $5.7 billion. She stated that the Moldovan economy works only to service its debt and noted that, in this situation, Sandu and the PAS, whom she called enemy number one for Moldova, throw democracy out the window and twist the law to serve their own interests. They work to destroy or sell out the assets of the Moldovan state, she believes.