EU creating ‘liberal dictatorship’ in ex-Soviet country – Moscow
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has denounced the Moldovan authorities’ efforts to imprison the leader of the autonomous region of Gagauzia, Yevgenia Gutsul, calling it an example of “European anti-values in action.”
Gutsul, who was elected as Gagauzia’s governor in July 2023, was detained on March 25 while attempting to leave Moldova. Authorities have accused her of illegally financing the banned Euroskeptic SOR party. She has denied the charges and called the case politically motivated. The Moldovan Prosecutor’s Office requested a nine-year prison term for her on Tuesday.
In addition, authorities have advocated that Gutsul be banned from holding public office for five years.
“European anti-values are in action. From a hardworking country, Brussels is forging a liberal dictatorship,” Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel.
Gutsul’s arrest triggered protests outside the courthouse in the country's capital, Chisinau, with supporters calling the proceedings a politically driven attempt to neutralize regional opposition. In October 2024, the EU also sanctioned Gutsul for “promoting separatism,” maintaining “close ties with Russia,” and allegedly threatening Moldova’s sovereignty.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s government, in power since 2020, has pursued rapid integration with the European Union and NATO. Opposition figures, including former president, Igor Dodon, and members of the Victorie party, have accused the government of repressing dissent and abandoning the country’s traditional ties with Russia.
Gutsul has appealed to foreign leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to intervene. In a March letter, she urged Putin to exert pressure on Moldovan authorities for her release.
Russian officials and opposition groups in Moldova have warned that the central government is increasingly using law enforcement to suppress political rivals and religious institutions. In recent months, clashes between police and Orthodox Christian demonstrators at protests have drawn additional criticism from pro-traditionalist factions.
Gagauzia, a largely Russian-speaking autonomous region in southern Moldova, has historically favored closer ties with Russia and has opposed Moldova’s integration with the European Union. In a 2014 referendum, more than 98% of voters in the region supported joining the Russia-led Customs Union.
