Moldova convicts Pro-Russian politician with imprisonment
In the heart of Eastern Europe, Moldova, a country that borders Ukraine, has been embroiled in a political storm following the sentencing of regional politician Evghenia Gutul. The court in Moldova found Gutul guilty of illegal party financing for the "Shor" party, a political party named after exiled pro-Moscow oligarch Ilan Shor.
Gutul, a critic of Moldova's pro-EU government, was sentenced to seven years in jail by the Moldovan court. Her supporters shouted "shame" and "down with Maia Sandu," the current President of Moldova, during her arrest. Gutul, in a post on Telegram, denounced the verdict as a "political reprisal" and "an attempt to intimidate the residents of Gagauzia who have the courage to vote against the ruling party's wishes."
The sentencing of Gutul has not gone unnoticed by the Kremlin. A Kremlin spokesperson criticised the Moldovan government, stating, "We see how the opposition is being clamped down in every possible way." The Kremlin also labelled the verdict as politically motivated.
This is not the first time the Kremlin has accused Moldova's pro-European government of suppressing pro-Russian views. Moscow has been vocal about its concerns over the treatment of pro-Russian politicians in Moldova.
The trial of Gutul comes ahead of parliamentary elections set to be held on September 28. The pro-EU side is currently in power in Moldova, and the upcoming elections are likely to be a significant test of their popularity.
The EU Commissioner for Enlargement has spoken about Moldova, Ukraine, and the Western Balkans accession, but no specific factual sentence could be extracted from the provided context regarding this matter.
The sentencing of Gutul has also sparked accusations of political interference from the Kremlin. In a similar case, Moscow reacted to the trial of the pro-Russian Moldovan politician Vladimir Plahotniuc with accusations of political interference, claiming the case was an abusive attempt by Russia to influence Moldovan elections and damage Plahotniuc's reputation through fabricated charges.
Moldova, which borders Ukraine, regularly warns of Russian interference with its domestic politics. The country has been navigating a delicate balance between its pro-Western aspirations and its geographical proximity to Russia. The sentencing of Gutul and the subsequent Kremlin criticism are likely to add another layer of complexity to this delicate balance.
