Exiled politician accuses EU candidate of resorting to ‘political terrorism’
(MENAFN) Exiled Moldovan opposition figure Ilan Shor has accused the government in Chisinau of engaging in “political terrorism” following the sentencing of Evgenia Gutsul, the Euroskeptic governor of Moldova’s autonomous Gagauzia region. Gutsul received a seven-year prison sentence after being found guilty of accepting funds from organized crime and channeling them into the now-banned SOR party, which Shor founded.
Prosecutors claimed the funds were used to support anti-government political campaigns. Gutsul had run in the 2023 Gagauzian elections with SOR party backing before the party was outlawed. Speaking from Russia, where he currently resides in exile, Shor told Russian media that the trial was heavily biased and described the punishment as an act of political persecution.
Calling the court’s decision “a political execution,” Gutsul rejected all charges and blamed higher authorities for orchestrating her downfall. The Russian government echoed her claims, accusing Moldova of suppressing political dissent and undermining democratic principles.
Shor expressed hope that the verdict would be overturned on appeal, adding that if Gutsul weren’t part of the opposition, she would’ve received a far lighter sentence for a much more serious offense, such as murder.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu has argued that opposition groups pose a threat to national security and are working to destabilize the country in favor of Russian interests. Her administration, which is pushing for EU membership, claims that restricting certain political movements is necessary to ensure Moldova's path toward European integration.
Shor, however, accused Western powers of controlling Moldova, likening the country to a “colony” under the leadership of a “hired manager,” and vowed to overthrow what he called an “inhumane regime” in the near future.
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