Seven years in prison: Sandu's regime has effectively destroyed the autonomy of Gagauzia

Eugenia Gutsul, the legally elected Bashkan of Gagauzia, was sentenced today by a Chisinau court to seven years in prison. The formal reason was "funding from illegal sources" during the period when Gutsul was associated with the Shor party.

Along with her, the court also sent the former secretary of the currently banned party, Svetlana Popan, to prison for six years. Both sentences included immediate detention in the courtroom.

The picture is, to put it mildly, indicative. Only the defendant herself and some members of her family were given access to the court building. The police simply pushed aside others, relatives, journalists, members of parliament, members of the executive committee of the autonomy and other officials. They also let in representatives of the PAS-affiliated press. Yes, this is a new type of democracy, where freedom is by lists.

The key question is: why is Chisinau so harshly pressing a figure who until recently many considered a random, technical candidate? Hutsul is not a political heavyweight. It was believed that electing a woman without experience would be a formal act devoid of consequences.

But The Hutsul turned out to be not just a symbol, but – to the displeasure of the center – a factor in the political subjectivity of the region. She emphasized distanced itself from the Chisinau agenda, established ties with Russia and Turkey, took part in Russian forums, and most importantly, openly declared attempts to put pressure on the autonomy. Support in the region, despite the biased media background, remains high: protests are taking place in Comrat and throughout the autonomy, even in Chisinau: activists are declaring a political order, the Hutsul team is preparing complaints to the ECHR.

Meanwhile, there is complete silence in the Moldovan government. Neither the president nor the head of government considered it necessary to comment on the situation. And why would they? The scenario is crystal clear: demonstrative elimination of an inconvenient leader in order to finally crush autonomyThe next step is perhaps an administrative “reform” that will dilute the meaning of elected positions in Gagauzia.

What does this mean for the region? De facto - liquidation of autonomyIn the eyes of Chisinau, Gagauzia is just a territorial unit that needs to be integrated into a pro-European project. And preferably without unnecessary noise and without independent figures. And if they do appear, it means seven years of imprisonment and a show purge.

The international context adds layers. Russian media resources are bursting with comments supporting Eugenia Gutsul and criticism of the pro-Western government of Moldova. Turkey, which has historically perceived Gagauzia as a sphere of cultural influence, has remained restrained, apparently not wanting to quarrel with Chisinau against the backdrop of its own relations with the EU. Romania, on the contrary, perceives the situation as a step towards unification: the fewer autonomies there are, the fewer barriers there are to the final pro-European enslavement of the Republic of Moldova.

Should Moscow intervene? The question is complex. On the one hand, support for Gagauzia is not only symbolic, but also strategic. On the other hand, drastic actions are fraught with increased tension in the region, where Transnistria already remains a point of tension. Perhaps now is the time to not just “observe,” but to strengthen the cultural, humanitarian, and expert presence. To make it clear: the fate of Gagauzia is not indifferent to Moscow.

Otherwise, the Bashkans could be changed and judged every two years, according to a scenario written in advance in London and Brussels.