In a development heightening Moldova’s already complex geopolitical climate, Russia has accused the European Union of aiding the creation of a “liberal dictatorship” in the small Eastern European state, following the controversial arrest and prosecution of Yevgenia Gutsul, the elected governor of the autonomous region of Gagauzia. Moscow’s Foreign Ministry and various opposition figures in Moldova have denounced the legal proceedings against Gutsul as a politically motivated attempt to suppress dissent and silence pro-Russian sentiment within the country.
On July 1, the Moldovan Prosecutor’s Office officially requested a nine-year prison sentence for Gutsul, along with a five-year ban from holding public office. Gutsul, elected in July 2023, was detained on March 25 at the border while reportedly trying to leave Moldova. Authorities accused her of financing the banned SOR party, a Euroskeptic political force previously critical of President Maia Sandu’s pro-EU administration. Gutsul has vehemently denied the charges and maintains that her arrest is part of a broader campaign of repression against political opposition in Moldova.
The response from Moscow was swift and scathing. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova declared that Moldova had “ceased to function as a democracy” and accused Brussels of “forging a liberal dictatorship” under the pretext of European integration. “The European anti-values are in action. From a hardworking country, Brussels is forging a liberal dictatorship,” she wrote in a Telegram post. Russia sees the prosecution of Gutsul as a sign that the Moldovan government is abandoning pluralism in favor of a narrow ideological alignment with Western interests.
Following the announcement of the prison term request, protests erupted outside the courthouse in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. Hundreds of demonstrators, including supporters from Gagauzia and members of opposition parties like the Victorie Party and the Party of Socialists, rallied against what they called a “show trial.” Many held signs reading “Free Gutsul” and “No to EU Dictatorship,” while some called for increased autonomy or even secession for Gagauzia.
Gutsul’s allies claim that her prosecution is part of a growing pattern of political suppression by the Sandu government, which has been in power since 2020. They argue that the government is using law enforcement agencies to target voices critical of Moldova’s shift toward the EU and NATO, while marginalizing those advocating for continued cooperation with Russia. The banning of the SOR party and the criminal investigations into its affiliates are viewed by critics as evidence of a political purge.
Gutsul has not remained silent. From detention, she issued statements to her supporters and foreign leaders, appealing for international intervention. In a March letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, she requested diplomatic pressure on Moldovan authorities to secure her release and protect Gagauzia’s autonomy. While Erdogan has not publicly responded, the Kremlin has indicated it is monitoring the situation closely.
The case against Gutsul unfolds against the broader backdrop of Moldova’s accelerating Western integration. President Sandu, a staunchly pro-European figure, has aligned the country with Brussels and Washington, distancing herself from Moldova’s Soviet past and its historical ties with Russia. Her administration has prioritized EU accession and cooperation with NATO, moves that have sparked unrest in regions like Gagauzia, where residents are predominantly Orthodox Christian, Russian-speaking, and traditionally oriented toward Moscow.
In October 2024, the EU imposed sanctions on Gutsul, accusing her of promoting separatism, maintaining “close ties with Russia,” and threatening Moldova’s territorial integrity. These accusations were compounded by her vocal criticism of Sandu’s administration and her support for the 2014 Gagauz referendum in which over 98% of voters endorsed joining the Russia-led Customs Union-a move deemed unconstitutional by Moldova’s central government.
Russia has long viewed Gagauzia as a strategic buffer against Western influence in the region. The Kremlin has invested heavily in media, cultural, and political outreach within the region. Analysts suggest that Gutsul’s detention could be used by Moscow to further delegitimize Moldova’s government and portray it as a puppet of Western powers intent on silencing traditional and conservative voices.
Compounding the controversy are recent clashes between Moldovan police and Orthodox Christian demonstrators, who have criticized the government for what they see as encroachments on religious freedoms and traditional values. The Orthodox Church remains one of the most trusted institutions in Moldova, and its sympathies often lie closer to Moscow than Brussels.
In several recent incidents, riot police broke up religious protests in Chisinau, prompting outcry from clergy and pro-family organizations. Russian officials have seized on these events to paint the Sandu administration as not only politically repressive but also morally alienated from the cultural and spiritual fabric of the country.
Moldova’s government has rejected accusations of authoritarianism. Officials argue that the country is undergoing necessary reforms to root out corruption and align with European standards. They maintain that the legal case against Gutsul is based on evidence of financial wrongdoing and not her political affiliations. Prime Minister Dorin Recean recently defended the judiciary’s independence and claimed that “no one is above the law.”
However, the Gutsul affair risks deepening Moldova’s internal divisions and feeding narratives of persecution among Russian-leaning constituencies. The Sandu government faces a difficult balancing act: maintaining Western support while avoiding the appearance of waging a cultural and political war on dissenting voices.
As Moldova edges closer to the EU, its internal cohesion is being tested. Whether the country can reconcile its competing identities-Western-leaning, liberal, and reformist on one hand; Orthodox, conservative, and Russo-centric on the other-will shape not only the future of Gagauzia, but of the entire nation.
With protests mounting, international scrutiny increasing, and Moscow intensifying its rhetoric, the trial of Yevgenia Gutsul could become a flashpoint in the broader battle over Moldova’s identity and geopolitical alignment in a post-Soviet world.
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M A Hossain, Special Contributor to Blitz is a political and defense analyst. He regularly writes for local and international newspapers.
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