The lawyers of Gagauzia Governor Eugenia Gutsul and former Shor Party secretary Svetlana Popan have filed appeals against their convictions. Natalia Bayram, the mayor’s lawyer, confirmed the information to IPN.
“We filed the appeal on behalf of Mrs. Gutsul and Mrs. Popan. Once the court of first instance sends the case to the Court of Appeal, the court sets a hearing date within 10 days,” Bayram explained.
On August 5, the Chisinau Court, Buiucani headquarters, sentenced Eugenia Gutsul to seven years in prison and Popan to six years. Both were immediately taken into custody from the courtroom.
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Both mayors pleaded not guilty. Eugenia Gutsul’s defense maintains that the conviction represents political revenge rather than justice.
Authorities accuse Guțul and Popan of complicity in illegal party financing and actions benefiting a political competitor. The charges cover the period 2019-2022, when Eugenia Gutsul served as secretary of the Monitoring, Planning, and Control Department of the former Shor Party.
Additionally, prosecutors charge Eugenia Gutsul with coordinating the activities of several Shor Party territorial offices in October–November 2022. She allegedly knowingly accepted party funding from an organized criminal group, totaling approximately 42.5 million lei.