Moldovan Tensions Rise as Gagauz Leader Detained Amid Lawmaker Disappearances

Eugenia Gutul, leader of the pro-Russian Gagauz minority in Moldova, was detained at Chisinau's airport amid the mysterious disappearances of other pro-Russian lawmakers. This development follows the arrest of allies linked to a corruption scandal involving fugitive businessman Ilan Shor, heightening political tensions as Moldova pursues EU membership.

The pro-Russian Gagauz leader, Eugenia Gutul, was apprehended at Chisinau's international airport on Tuesday. Her detention occurs amidst the baffling absences of two pro-Russian MPs—Nesterovschi and Lozovan—stoking Moldova's political discord.

Gutul, elected Gagauzia bashkan in 2023, faces charges of corruption and illicitly financing a political bloc from abroad. These charges emerge in connection with her alliance with Ilan Shor, a business magnate sentenced for a major banking scandal. Despite her electoral win, President Maia Sandu, steering Moldova towards EU integration, never acknowledged Gutul's position.

The detention and preceding disappearances underscore the enduring frictions within Moldova, influenced by its complex historical ties with Russia and the West. As Gutul and her associates face legal repercussions, the sway of exiled figures like Shor in Moldova's politics remains under scrutiny.

(With inputs from agencies.)