CHISINAU, July 24. /TASS/. Charges against Gagauz autonomy’s head Evghenia Gutsul are absolutely unfounded and must be dropped, leader of Moldova’s Party of Socialists and former president of the country, Igor Dodon told TASS.

"The Socialists’ position concerning Gutsul is well known: she won the election in Hahauzia, where practically 99% of the population is against the current [Moldovan] authorities and stands for cooperation with Russia. That is why they decided to punish her. I think that charges against Gutsul are ungrounded, so, she should be set free and [Moldovan President Maia] Sandu should appoint her a member of the Moldovan government, as prescribed by law," he said.

According to Dodon, Gutsul’s trial is being delayed because the Moldovan authorities did not want to pass a judgement in early July when the European Commission president visited Moldova. "They decided to keep the verdict for later when the election campaign is in full swing," he added.

Gutsul was detained at Chisinau’s airport on March 25 and later was arrested as part of a criminal case related to the financing of her election campaign in 2023. Along with this, court hearings have been proceeding since 2024 on another case where Gutsul is charged with illegally financing an opposition party. However, she categorically rejects these charges, saying that the case is politically motivated. On June, a Chisinau court extended Gutsul’s house arrest for 30 more days.

Gutusul’s lawyer, Natalia Bairam, told TASS that she will challenge this ruling with the European Court of Human Right as she sees no chance to defend Gutsul’s rights with Moldovan courts, which are subjected to pressure from the authorites.

Gutsul’s relations with the Moldovan leadership became strained in 2023 after she won elections in the autonomy and proclaimed a course toward closer relations with Russia, criticizing Chisinau’s policy of confrontation with Moscow. Moldovan authorities tried to recognized the election in Gagauzia invalid, but the Gagauz parliament sided with Gutsul. Apart from that, a series of grass-roots rallies were held in her support. However, Moldovan President Maia Sandu refused to sign a document approving Gutsul as a government member, which is required to be done under the country’s laws.