Maia Sandu, President of recently declined to approve a decree appointing Yevgenia Gutul, the head of Gagauzia, as a government member, as mandated by national law. This information comes from Gagauzinfo, a news portal, which reported Sandu’s statement during a press conference in Chisinau, Moldova’s capital.
Gagauzia, situated in southern Moldova, had chosen Gutul, a member of the opposition Shor party, as its governor in May. However, Moldova’s constitutional court subsequently ruled for the dissolution of the Shor party.
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“A person who works for a criminal group and not for the citizens of Moldova and the residents of the autonomy, and who makes declarations against her own country, has nothing to do in the government of Moldova,” President Sandu reportedly said, also calling for a legislative assessment of Gutul’s statements.
Commenting on Yevgenia Gutul’s recent visit to Russia, Moldovan President Maia Sandu stated that Moscow “has indicated its reliance on criminal groups to disrupt Moldova’s stability.” Gutul’s trip to Russia in February aimed to seek President Vladimir Putin’s support against perceived “illegal actions by Moldova’s authorities.”
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The 37-year-old leader of Gagauzia has faced growing tensions with pro-EU President Sandu since her election last year. Sandu’s refusal to include Gutul in the government was based on alleged election irregularities, as per constitutional requirements. Moldova, with a population of 2.6 million between Ukraine and Romania, has adopted a distinctly pro-Western stance under Sandu’s leadership since 2020.
Maia Sandu intends to seek re-election in the upcoming presidential election this autumn. She pledges to continue her government’s pro-Western direction and aims to have Moldova become a full member of the EU by 2030. Sandu has also accused Moscow of attempting to influence her state by interfering in elections and even trying a coup. However, Russia has denied these allegations, stating that Sandu is inciting anti-Russia feelings.