Latest news with #Gagauzia
Russia Today
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU creating ‘liberal dictatorship' in ex-Soviet country
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has denounced the Moldovan authorities' efforts to imprison the leader of the autonomous region of Gagauzia, Yevgenia Gutsul, calling it an example of 'European anti-values in action.' Gutsul, who was elected as Gagauzia's governor in July 2023, was detained on March 25 while attempting to leave Moldova. Authorities have accused her of illegally financing the banned Euroskeptic SOR party. She has denied the charges and called the case politically motivated. The Moldovan Prosecutor's Office requested a nine-year prison term for on Tuesday. In addition, authorities have called for a five-year ban on Gutsul holding public office. 'The European anti-values are in action. From a hardworking country, Brussels is forging a liberal dictatorship,' Zakharova wrote on her Telegram channel. Gutsul's arrest has triggered protests outside the courthouse in Chisinau, with supporters calling the proceedings a politically driven attempt to neutralize opposition in the region. In October 2024, the EU also sanctioned Gutsul for 'promoting separatism,' maintaining 'close ties with Russia,' and allegedly threatening Moldova's sovereignty. President Maia Sandu's government, in power since 2020, has pursued rapid integration with the European Union and NATO. Opposition figures, including former President Igor Dodon and members of the Victorie party, have accused the government of repressing dissent and abandoning Moldova's traditional ties with Russia. Gutsul has appealed to foreign leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan to intervene. In a March letter, she urged Putin to exert pressure on Moldovan authorities for her release. Russian officials and opposition groups in Moldova have warned that the central government is increasingly using law enforcement to suppress political rivals and religious institutions. In recent months, clashes between police and Orthodox Christian demonstrators at protests have drawn additional criticism from pro-traditionalist factions. Gagauzia, a largely Russian-speaking autonomous region in southern Moldova, has historically favored closer ties with Russia and has opposed Moldova's integration with the European Union. In a 2014 referendum, more than 98% of voters in the region supported joining the Russia-led Customs Union.
Russia Today
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU state pledges cash for candidate to counter ‘Russian threats'
The Dutch government has announced funding for Moldova aimed at 'strengthening… democracy' and combating what it described as 'Russian hybrid threats' to the EU-aspirant. The move comes as the ex-Soviet republic's pro-Western government pursues closer ties with Brussels, amid rising discontent at home. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp shared the pledge to the EU candidate country in a post on X. 'The Netherlands pledges €1.5 million ($1.7 million) to projects aimed at strengthening Moldova's democracy and institutional resilience and at mitigating its external threats,' Veldkamp wrote. 'These projects are also aimed at countering Russian hybrid threats, like disinformation, and preventing electoral corruption,' he added. Moldova has accelerated its drive toward EU and NATO integration since 2020, when President Maia Sandu, a vocal critic of Russia, came to power. Re-elected last year in a controversial runoff, Sandu has intensified efforts to fast-track Moldova's EU accession, vowing last month to conclude membership talks by the end of 2027. Sandu's pro-Western course has triggered mounting domestic pushback, driven by economic discontent, accusations of political repression, and a crackdown on the Moldovan Orthodox Church. Her administration has also been embroiled in a longstanding political standoff with the autonomous region of Gagauzia. Tensions flared again this week following an unsanctioned pro-LGBTQ march in Chisinau, where a heavy-handed police response to counter-protesters – some with children or carrying religious icons and crosses – drew sharp criticism. Footage showing officers knocking an Orthodox priest to the ground and forcibly detaining a man holding a child has sparked public outrage. Sandu has defended her policies, citing alleged pro-Russian influences, and has launched crackdowns on opposition parties and media outlets that she describes as criminal entities. Moscow has dismissed the accusations as baseless and politically motivated. Last month, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said EU countries were deliberately inventing and amplifying the myth of a 'Russian threat' to deflect public attention from their own severe economic problems. The EU's economic crisis had reached catastrophic proportions largely due to the West's own sanctions against Russia, she added.
Russia Today
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU state pledges funds to help aspirant counter ‘Russian threats'
The Dutch government has announced funding for EU-aspirant Moldova aimed at 'strengthening… democracy' and combating what it described as 'Russian hybrid threats.' The move comes as the ex-Soviet republic's pro-Western government continues to pursue closer ties with Brussels amid rising discontent at home. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp shared the pledge to the EU candidate country in a post on X. 'The Netherlands pledges €1.5 million ($1.7 million) to projects aimed at strengthening Moldova's democracy and institutional resilience and at mitigating its external threats,' Veldkamp wrote. 'These projects are also aimed at countering Russian hybrid threats, like disinformation, and preventing electoral corruption,' he added. Moldova has accelerated its drive toward EU and NATO integration since 2020, when President Maia Sandu, a vocal critic of Russia, came to power. Re-elected last year in a controversial runoff, Sandu has intensified efforts to fast-track Moldova's EU accession, vowing last month to conclude membership talks by the end of 2027. Sandu's pro-Western course has triggered mounting domestic pushback, driven by economic discontent, accusations of political repression, and a crackdown on the Moldovan Orthodox Church. Her administration has also been embroiled in a longstanding political standoff with the autonomous region of Gagauzia. Tensions flared again this week following an unsanctioned pro-LGBTQ march in Chisinau, where a heavy-handed police response to counter-protesters – some with children or carrying religious icons and crosses – drew sharp criticism. Footage showing officers knocking an Orthodox priest to the ground and forcibly detaining a man holding a child has sparked public outrage. Sandu has defended her policies, citing alleged pro-Russian influences, and has launched crackdowns on opposition parties and media outlets that she describes as criminal entities. Moscow has dismissed the accusations as baseless and politically motivated. Last month, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said EU countries were deliberately inventing and amplifying the myth of a 'Russian threat' to deflect public attention from their own severe economic problems. The EU's economic crisis had reached catastrophic proportions largely due to the West's own sanctions against Russia, she added.
