On October 25, searches were conducted in Gagauzia at two of Evghenia Guțul’s deputies, Victor Petrov and Iurii Kuznețov. The searches are part of a case involving illegal acts of corruption during the elections held on October 20, reports the IPN correspondent in the autonomy.
The fact that searches were conducted at Petrov and Kuznețov’s premises was reported by the Gagauz governor, Evghenia Guțul, and her advisor, Mihail Vlah.
Both linked the searches to the elections and presented them as "unprecedented pressure on the Gagauz people."
Vlah stated that the searches were "retaliation for the referendum." Last Sunday, about 95% of Gagauzia's residents who voted expressed their stance "against" the country’s EU membership.
On the morning of October 25, the National Anti-Corruption Center confirmed that searches were being conducted in several districts of Moldova.
According to the NAC, the purpose of the searches is to "document illegal acts of corruption during the elections and the illegal financing of political parties, committed by individuals in the interest of an organized crime group."
Residents of various Gagauz localities, who receive allowances from Russia through Promsvyazbank cards, told the IPN correspondent that they were allegedly called and instructed "how to behave if law enforcement comes."
On Thursday, October 24, the head of the Moldovan police, Viorel Cernăuțeanu, stated that law enforcement discovered a vote-buying scheme worth $39 million, conducted between September and October 2024, confirmed by 1.4 million SMS notifications from Russia's Promsvyazbank.
Cernăuțeanu suspects that the money was likely received by beneficiaries in cash.
In mid-October this year, Evghenia Guțul, her first deputy Ilia Uzun, and Iurii Kuznețov were included in the EU sanctions list for "attempts to destabilize the situation in Moldova."
Victor Petrov was added to the sanctions list back in April 2023.
