Chișinău on Russian threats: “Moscow no longer tells us what to do”
The Moldovan authorities rejected statements by Russian MP Konstantin Zatulin, who suggested that a possible advance of Russian troops toward the Moldovan-Ukrainian border could lead to the annulment of the conviction of Gagauzia’s governor, Evghenia Guțul. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi called the remarks “an unacceptable interference” in Moldova’s internal affairs.
"The times when Moscow told us what to do are long gone." Deputy Prime Minister Popșoi responds to threats from a Russian MP
The authorities of the Republic of Moldova reject the statements made by Russian MP Konstantin Zatulin, who suggested that a possible advance of the Russian army toward the Moldovan-Ukrainian border could lead to the annulment of the conviction of Gagauzia’s governor, Evghenia Guțul.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi described these claims as “an unacceptable interference” in the internal affairs of our state.
“The Republic of Moldova is a sovereign state and we firmly reject any interference in our country’s internal affairs. The times when Moscow dictated what we should do are long gone. The Republic of Moldova knows what is best for its citizens, clearly following its national interest to strengthen peace and prosperity within the greater European family,” Popșoi said on Wednesday, August 6, after the government meeting.
Asked whether the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would take diplomatic steps in response to these threats, Popșoi stated that the authorities “will consider all options to defend the national interest of the Republic of Moldova.”
Zatulin’s threats
The statement from Chișinău came after comments made by Konstantin Zatulin, a member of the Russian State Duma, who criticized the conviction of Governor Evghenia Guțul, accusing Moldovan authorities of “repression.”
He claimed that pro-Russian sympathies were being “criminalized” in Moldova and suggested that a “rapid advance of the Russian army toward the border between Ukraine, Transnistrian region, and Moldova” would radically change the situation, and that Moldovan authorities would immediately abandon such convictions.
“This sentence is scandalous. Seven years in prison for the official leader of the Gagauz Autonomous Region within Moldova,” said Zatulin, as quoted by the Russian media.
We remind you that Gagauzia’s governor, Evghenia Guțul, was sentenced on August 5 to seven years in prison. The Chișinău Court based in Buiucani found her guilty of knowingly accepting illegal funding from an organized criminal group, in the interest of her party and an electoral candidate.
In the same case, the former secretary of the “Shor” Party, Svetlana Popan, was sentenced to six years in prison.
According to the ruling by Judge Ana Cucerescu, the convicted individuals coordinated covert money transfers from Russia, instructed colleagues to disguise the funds through fake donations, and organized large-scale protests in Chișinău, during which thousands of participants were paid using illicit funds.
The court ordered the confiscation of over 40,905,637 lei from Evghenia Guțul and 9,748,425 lei from Svetlana Popan—funds used to commit the crimes.
They were also banned from engaging in political or financial-accounting activities for a period of five years.
The sentence is not final and may be appealed to the Chișinău Court of Appeal.
