CHISINAU, October 15. /TASS/. Temporary control schemes for Gagauzia devised in Chisinau will never replace the will of the people, Evghenia Gutsul, head of the Gagauz autonomy, said in a written statement conveyed through her lawyers to TASS.

"The people elected me, and I am accountable only to them. No temporary mechanisms designed in Chisinau can override the will of the Gagauz people. The Moldovan authorities seek discord, but they will face our unity, solidarity, and determination to defend our autonomy to the very end," she stated.

On August 5, 2025, Gutsul was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of illegally financing the opposition Sor Party. She was also banned from political activity for five years and fined $2.4 million — the sum she allegedly used to fund her campaign. Her defense team has appealed the court’s ruling. Gutsul stated that the Action and Solidarity Party, controlling the Moldovan parliament and government, is behind the lawsuit.