The criminal group associated with fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor persists in its efforts to undermine President Maia Sandu, attempting to create the illusion of discontent in Brussels with the PAS government, writes DISINFO.MD.
On December 19, Gagauzia’s Bashkan, Evghenia Gutul, is set to undertake a visit to Brussels, where she will hold a press conference expressing “deep concerns” about President Maia Sandu’s actions and the ruling PAS party.
However, Gutul has no scheduled meetings with any European officials, indicating that her visit is aimed at accusing the current administration and presenting Gagauzia as a territory with a distinct ethnic structure from the rest of Moldova. The event represents a foreign action supported by Russia, seeking not only to discredit President Maia Sandu but also to compromise Moldova’s European path.
Sources from Brussels, according to Deschide.MD, suggests that Evghenia Gutul’s visit is based on an invitation sent on December 6 by the Center for the Study of European Democracy. She is expected to travel to the Belgian capital with a delegation consisting of Anastasia Ciolac, the head of the General Directorate of Foreign Relations of UTA Gagauzia, Maria Albot, the foreign policy adviser to the Bashkan, and Iurie Cuznetov, the adviser for relations with public authorities.
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Despite the attempt to create the impression that this delegation represents Gagauzia, it effectively represents fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, with all members, except Anastasia Ciolac, being part of the Shor group. Moreover, none of the delegation members, except Anastasia Ciolac, resides in Gagauzia, raising questions about their true representation.
Gutul’s and the criminal group’s interests are also noteworthy. After winning the Gagauzian elections, Gutul expressed intentions to open a representation office in Moscow, emphasizing the pro-Russian stance of the Shor Party.
“We are a pro-Russian party (the Shor Party). We want to continue being friends with the Russian Federation, and to be friends with other countries,” she declared at that time, as quoted by TASS.
Regarding the Center for the Study of European Democracy (CSDE), which invited Evghenia Gutul to Brussels, it claims to be an “independent center for academic research focusing on various aspects of modern democracy in Europe.” However, CSDE’s research activities seem nonexistent in the past four years, as no “Journal of the Study of European Democracy” has been posted on the center’s website since 2019.