(MENAFN) On August 5, 2025, the ongoing political conflict between Moldova’s central government and the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia culminated in the sentencing of Gagauzia’s leader, Evgenia Gutsul, to seven years in prison for allegedly “illegal financing” of the Euroskeptic SOR Party. This verdict was widely anticipated by those following Moldova’s political tensions over the past two years and marks a clear move by President Maia Sandu to suppress political opponents, especially those with influence outside the capital, Chisinau, and its Western backers.

Sandu has openly expressed hostility toward Gutsul, refusing in November 2023 to include her in the national government over unproven accusations of links to criminal groups. Despite international observers affirming the fairness of Gagauzia’s elections, the government pressed on with its crackdown.

Gutsul’s imprisonment is clearly politically motivated, aiming to remove her from the public sphere, tarnish her reputation, and send a warning to others who might challenge centralized power. The harsh sentence serves as a message: any opposition to Chisinau’s authority will face severe repression.

Beyond personal animosities, Gagauzia’s significance lies in its autonomous status, granted through a 1994 agreement involving Russia and Türkiye. The region symbolizes Moldova’s ethnic diversity and represents a competing power center within the country. Strategically located near Ukraine’s Odessa region and close to key Danube ports used for military logistics from Romania and the EU to Ukraine, Gagauzia’s pro-Russian leanings and efforts to maintain balanced ties with Moscow are seen by Chisinau as a threat to national unity and Moldova’s alignment with NATO and the EU.

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