Evghenia Guțul (born 5 September 1986; Gagauz: Evgeniya Guţul[3] or Guțul[4]), also rendered Yevgenia Gutsul (Russian: Евгения Гуцул)[5][6] and Eugenia Guțul,[7][8] is a Moldovan Gagauzian jurist and politician, who has served as Governor of Gagauzia since 19 July 2023. In April 2024 she was indicted in a criminal case with the Anticorruption Court of Moldova.
Evghenia Guțul | |
|---|---|
Evgeniya Guţul | |
 Guțul in 2024 | |
| Governor of Gagauzia | |
| Assumed office 19 July 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Irina Vlah |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 September 1986 Etulia, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union (now Gagauzia, Moldova) |
| Political party | Victory bloc (since 2024) |
| Other political affiliations | Șor Party[1] (2018–2023) Independent[2] (before 2018, 2023–2024) |
As Governor, she has sought to have closer relations with Russia. Following her party's banning by Moldovan authorities, she has been an independent.[2]
Early life
editGuțul was born on 5 September 1986 in the village of Etulia, a Gagauz village in the Moldavian SSR of the Soviet Union.[9] Guțul's maiden name is Buiucli.[10] She is married and has two children, and continues to maintain Etulia as her permanent place of residence.[9]
Prior to her 2023 election, Guțul had no significant political background. After attending school to become a lawyer, she worked as a telephone operator from 2012 to 2014. Afterwards she worked as a telecommunications operator, commercial representative, and archivist. Guțul only entered politics when she worked as a secretary for her local Șor Party branch in 2018.[11]
Political career
editGuțul has built her political career as a pro-Russian activist. On 22 March 2023, she was selected as candidate for Governor of Gagauzia by the Șor Party. During the election campaign, Guțul promised that if she is elected, she will build an airport worth 100 million euros, increase the salaries of budget workers by 30%, build an amusement park and that there will be other investments in infrastructure, education, and other sectors of the economy. Some journalists described many of the promises as unrealistic, as in their assessment the implementation of such projects are beyond the powers of the Governor.[1] Guțul was supported in the elections by oligarch and party Chair Ilan Șor, lawmakers Marina Tauber and Reghina Apostolova, as well as several Russian performers and artists, such as Nikolay Baskov, Philipp Kirkorov, and Stas Mikhaylov,[1] as well as Leonid Slutsky, the leader of the Russian ultra-nationalist LDPR.[11]
Political views
editShe is known for her sharply pro-Russian views and calls for rapprochement with Moscow. Since March 2024, Guțul is often in Moscow on working visits. Her statements about the infringement of Gagauz rights are narratives promoted by the Kremlin. When meeting with Putin, Guțul discussed “complex regional and geopolitical issues, in the epicenter of which the region is located.”[12]
In addition, Guțul said she was ready to open a representative office of Gagauzia in Moscow, to which she was reminded in Chișinău that Gagauzia is not a separate subject of international law and is part of Moldova.[13]
Guțul said that in case of a potential unification of Moldova with Romania, she wants to initiate secession from Moldova and is ready to ask Russia for “protection” if this is prevented. According to Guțul, Gagauzia opposes unification with Romania, and “many residents of the autonomy and the whole of Moldova oppose Moldova's accession to the EU.” The American Institute for the Study of War notes that Guțul's recent remarks about the possibility of Gagauzia seceding from Moldova in the event of unification with Romania are an attempt by the Kremlin “to use pro-Russian players in Moldova to destabilize Moldovan democracy and society, prevent Moldova's accession to the EU, or even to justify future hybrid or conventional operations against Moldova.”[14][15]
Moldovan President Maia Sandu believes that Guțul's visits to Moscow mean that she supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine.[16]
Başkan of Gagauzia
editIn the 2023 Gagauz gubernatorial election, she finished the first round in first place with 14,890 votes (26.47%), but given the fact that a majority was not met, the second round took place on 14 May. In the second round, Guțul obtained 27,376 of the votes (52.39%), defeating the independent candidate Grigorii Uzun, supported by the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova, who had 24,926 votes (47.66%), thus winning a 4-year mandate at the head of the autonomous unit.[1][17] In her victory speech, Guțul affirmed her intention to align the region closer with Russia.[17] Following the banning of Șor on June 19, 2023, Guțul announced that she would take office and govern Gagauzia as a political independent.[2]
On July 19, 2023, the inauguration of Guțul as Bashkan of Gagauzia took place.[18] The event was not attended by Irina Vlah, who had completed her mandate as bashkan, and therefore the symbolic procedure of transfer of power did not take place. Prime Minister Dorin Recean, President Maia Sandu and PAS MPs said they would not attend the inauguration. Representatives of the Comrat Court of Appeal, which approved the election results, were also not present at the event. According to the Statute of Gagauzia, the oath of office is taken no later than 30 days after the official announcement of the election results, in a solemn atmosphere at a special session of the People's Assembly and Tribunal of Gagauzia, in the Gagauz language. Instead, the results were announced by the head of the CEC of Gagauzia, Jana Covalenco, in Russian. Also, representatives of Moldovan diplomatic missions were absent at the event. During the oath of office, Guțul forgot to put her hand on the Constitution, she was helped by Speaker Dmitri Constantinov. In addition, when she finished reading the oath, Guțul kissed only the flag of the Gagauz autonomy, without kissing the flag of Moldova. The bashkan promised to hold a press conference and answer journalists' questions. The main question of the press representatives was the source of funding for this event. However, Guțul and PAG speaker Dimitri Konstantinov left the stage in a hurry.[19][20]
Guțul named Sergei Ibrishim as the head of the Main Directorate of the Agro-Industrial Complex of Gagauzia, the governmental branch in charge of agriculture and industry. A noted Russophile, Ibrishim personally wrote a letter to the Kremlin urging Russian intervention to allow Gagauzian goods to be sold in Russia at the same rate as that prior to Moldova's withdrawal from the CIS in December 2023.[11]
One of Guțul's first acts in office was to perform a state visit to Russia, where she met with Russian officials from March 1 to March 8, 2024. Guțul outlined three key economic policies that would be created as a result of her visit, the first was a "special gas tariff", independent from the tariff on Moldova, without input from Moldovan officials, bypassing sanctions placed on Russian gas companies. Secondly Gagauzia, and its residents, would be integrated into the MIR payment system. Lastly, Gagauzia will have an independent excise taxes and duties on Russian goods, without input from the Moldovan government. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has deemed this a form of "energy blackmail" against Moldova, as the lower tariffs would make it nearly impossible for the Moldovan government to reduce dependence on Gagauzia's four Gazprom natural gas power plants.[11]
On 13 March 2024, Guțul announced that she was organizing a meeting with prominent pro-Russian politicians of Moldova, such as Igor Dodon, Vladimir Voronin, Ilan Shor, and the leadership of the Revival Party. This quadrumvir of Dodon, Guțul, Shor, and Voronin, are possibly organizing into one singular opposition movement against the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity to contest the 2024 presidential and the 2025 parliamentary elections.[11]
On 9 April 2024, Guțul and the chairman of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia Dmitry Konstantinov signed an agreement in Moscow on the use of Mir cards in Gagauzia. According to Guțul, “these measures will allow to overcome the economic blockade organized by Chisinau and to bring to Gagauzia funds for financing social, infrastructural and economic projects”.[21]
On 21 April 2024, a congress was held, which brought together about 500 supporters of a fugitive Moldovan oligarch who had taken refuge in Moscow. The agreement to unite the opposition political forces into the “Victory” bloc was signed by Guțul, who became the executive secretary of the national political council, in addition to the Shor party, which is banned in Moldova. For the Russian press, the event was described as “a congress of Moldovan politicians supporting Chisinau's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union.”[22][23]
On April 24, the Moldovan anti-corruption prosecutor's office announced that it referred a case against Guțul to the anti-corruption court.[24] She could "face up to seven years in prison and a prohibition for up to five years from holding certain positions or engaging in specific activities."[25]
International Sanctions
editOn 12 June 2024, the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on Guțul, freezing any assets held by her in the country and banning its citizens from dealing with her.[26]
On 14 October of 2024, the EU Council imposed personal sanctions on Guțul citing her continued and persistent attempts to upend Moldova's constitutional order by promoting separatism in Gagauzia and receiving illegal financial support from and maintaining ties to fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor and Russia, thus constituting a threat to Moldova's security, stability and democracy.[27]
Criminal Case
editIn January 2022, a criminal prosecution was launched. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of Moldova brought charges against Guțul for receiving and smuggling money from Russia to finance the now banned in Moldova pro-Russian Shor party. According to the investigation, in 2019 - 2022, Guțul, while working as a secretary in the “Shor” party, systematically imported into Moldova money received from an organized criminal group from Russia. Subsequently, this money was integrated into the party's activities in order to support its activity in the Moldovan political arena. There is another accusation, according to which Guțul, as an accomplice, in the period from October to November 2022, coordinated the activity of some territorial branches of the former party “Shor” in the districts of the Republic of Moldova. She was responsible for verifying, approving lists and remunerating protesters in front of state institutions in Chișinău - Parliament, Government, Presidency, Prosecutor General's Office, etc. (at the same time, the actions were organized by a party declared unconstitutional in the country). Thus, she knowingly accepted funding for the political party from an organized criminal group for a total amount of about 42.5 million lei (converted into more than 2.2 million euros).[28][29]
On April 24, 2024, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of Moldova announced that it had completed the investigation and submitted the case against Guțul to the court. The hearing of the case has already been postponed several times, the accused was unable to attend the court session due to health reasons.[30] If proven guilty, Guțul faces imprisonment from 2 to 7 years with a ban on holding public office.[31]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Carasiucenco, Georgeta (15 May 2023). "Cine este bașcanul Găgăuziei și ce promisiuni a făcut". www.moldova.org (in Romanian). Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ a b c "Găgăuzia nu mai are guvernator de la Șor: Evghenia Guțul va fi bașcan independent". stiripesurse.ro. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ "Gagauziya Başkanı görüştü EGİT seçimneri gözetmäk başınnan". gagauzia.md (in Gagauz). 18 October 2023.
- ^ "Gagauziya Başkanı Evgeniya Guțul TDBB Administrativ nasaatın oruşunda pay aldı". gagauzia.md (in Gagauz). 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Pro-Russian regional leader in Moldova seeks closer ties with Moscow". Reuters. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ ""We will be friends with Russia." Yevgenia Gutsul has become the new leader of Gagauzia". The Eastern Herald. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ "Date preliminare: Eugenia Guțul a câștigat alegerile bașcanului". stiri.md. Retrieved 2024-04-22.
- ^ "DOC. Deși se află în arest la domiciliu, Marina Tauber a fost înregistrată ca reprezentant oficial al candidatului Eugenia Guțul la alegerile pentru funcția de bașcan în UTA Găgăuziei". TVR Moldova (in Romanian). Retrieved 2024-04-22.
- ^ a b Conovali, Mihaela (15 May 2023). "(DOC) Cine este și ce avere declară Evghenia Guțul, câștigătoarea alegerilor din Găgăuzia, potrivit rezultatelor preliminare" (in Romanian). NewsMaker. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Кандидатка в башканы Гагаузии Евгения Гуцул: биография, подарки на тысячи евро и самая дорогая предвыборная кампания — Nokta". 25 April 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Bailey, Riley; Harward, Christina; Wolkov, Nicole; Hird, Karolina; Kagan, Frederick W. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 13, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Путин пожал руку главе Гагаузии и пообещал "поддержку"".(in Russian)
- ^ "Коваленко: вслед за Приднестровьем Москва стала качать еще один регион Молдовы. Что задумали кураторы хаоса". 8 March 2024.(in Russian)
- ^ "Гуцул ответила, обратится ли Гагаузия за помощью к России, если власти Молдовы решат ввести туда войска из-за сопротивления унире". 10 April 2024.(in Russian)
- ^ "Гуцул вновь в Москве. Институт изучения войны считает, что Кремль пытается использовать ее для дестабилизации в Молдове". 9 April 2024.(in Russian)
- ^ "Санду: Визит башкана Гагаузии в Москву означает, что она поддерживает войну". 9 April 2024.(in Russian)
- ^ a b "TASS: Evghenia Guțul vrea să deschidă reprezentanța Găgăuziei la Moscova". Realitatea.md (in Romanian). 15 May 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Ce planuri are Irina Vlah după sfârșirea mandatului său: "Până pe 19 iulie îmi voi îndeplini atribuțiile de bașcan al Găgăuziei"" (in Romanian). TV8. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Eroare sau sfidare? Eugenia Guțul a încălcat mai multe proceduri în timpul învestirii sale în funcția de guvernator al Găgăuziei".(in Romanian)
- ^ "Якорь перемен, отсутствие Влах и (не)ответы на вопросы журналистов — как прошла инаугурация Евгении Гуцул". 20 July 2023.(in Russian)
- ^ "Гуцул и Константинов договорились в Москве об использовании карт «Мир» в Гагаузии: «Россия снова спасла наш народ»". 9 April 2024.(in Russian)
- ^ "Moldova's pro-Russian opposition forms new political bloc at Moscow meeting". 23 April 2024.
- ^ "Олигарх Илан Шор в Москве создал пророссийский блок "Победа"". Deutsche Welle.(in Russian)
- ^ "Молдовський олігарх Ілан Шор заявив, що має російське громадянство" (in Russian). 16 May 2024. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024.
- ^ "Gagauzia governor accused of using Russian funds for political gain in Moldova".
- ^ "US sanctions pro-Russia governor of Moldova's Gagauzia region". Reuters. 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Republic of Moldova: Council lists further 5 individuals and 1 entity for destabilising actions".
- ^ "Moldova brings criminal case against pro-Russian Gagauzia leader to court". Reuters.
- ^ "В Молдове предъявили обвинение пророссийской главе Гагаузии". Deutsche Welle.(in Russian)
- ^ "Заседание по делу Гуцул снова перенесли. Обвиняемая заболела". 21 June 2024.(in Russian)
- ^ "Дело в отношении Евгении Гуцул и секретаря центрального офиса бывшей партии «Шор» направлено в суд". 24 April 2024.(in Russian)