CHISINAU, April 9. /TASS/. The head of the Gagauz autonomy, Evghenia Gutsul, told reporters prior to the court hearing on the extension of her arrest on Wednesday that it should be open to everyone, a TASS correspondent reports.
"I insist that the session should be open. I have nothing to hide, and I want people to know the truth," Gutsul told reporters before the hearing, where she appeared in custody. Gutsul's associate in the opposition Victory party bloc, MP Vadim Fotescu, told TASS that prosecutors had requested the court to extend her arrest by another 20 days.
According to him, the prosecutor’s office decided to take precautionary measures, as her previous 20-day arrest period is set to expire on April 14. However, he emphasized that the law does not permit prosecutors to request stricter detention conditions under the same circumstances.
Outside the courthouse, Gutsul’s supporters staged a protest demanding her release. Participants held posters with slogans such as "Free Evghenia Gutsul," "Stop political persecution," and "Respect the choice of the people of Gagauzia."
"We demand a fair hearing and the release of the lawfully elected head of Gagauzia. The whole country and the world can see that Gutsul’s arrest has nothing to do with justice — it is purely political persecution," said Yury Vitniansky, an activist of the Victory bloc, addressing the crowd.
Gutsul was detained on March 25 at Chisinau Airport and subsequently arrested for 20 days. The prosecutor’s office stated the arrest was based on suspicions that she might attempt to evade justice. Gutsul rejected these claims, noting that she has consistently appeared at court hearings over the past year and has traveled abroad without incident.
Two criminal cases have been opened against her: one involving alleged violations in the financing of the dissolved Sor party, and another related to irregularities in the management of the electoral fund during the 2023 Gagauzia elections.