File on rigging of elections in Gagauzia: about 50 people appearing as voters in lists were not in Moldova during ballot in Gagauz autonomy

Chisinau, 20 July /MOLDPRES/ - About 50 people appearing on the lists of voters at the elections of the bashkan (governor) of the Gagauzia Territorial and Administrative Unit (UTA Gagauzia), held on 30 April 2023, would not have been in Moldova on the day of the polls. Data to this effect was unveiled by the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office (PA) today, after in the last spring, a criminal file had been opened by the National Anticorruption Centre (CNA) ‘’on deeds of offences of corrupting voters and infringement of the way of management of  financial means of political parties of electoral funds.’’     

According to PA, on 16 May this year, the electoral lists were raised at the Comrat Court, headquartered in the Comrat municipality, and were examined with the participation of the members of the regional electoral commission from UTA Gagauzia. With the lists considered, decision-makers so far have identified ‘’about 50 people appearing in the lists of voters, who were not on the territory of Moldova on the period of the elections.’’   

„In continuation, a string of criminal prosecution actions are carried out, including the examination of objects raised during searches (mobile phones, computer technology, documents, etc.). So far, 11 people have been recognized as suspects,’’ reads a press release by the  Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office.    

The law establishes for the concerned offence a punishment with fine worth up to 92,500 lei or imprisonment from 2 to 7 years, in both cases with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions for a period from 2 to 5 years. Hence, if the court establishment the guilt of the people in the concerned episode, the punishment set by the law sees the deprivation of the right to hold certain offices dealing with the political activity.   

It is worth mentioning that, on 30 April, elections were held in the UTA Gagauzia. The winners who competed in the runoff were Grigorii Uzun, backed by the Moldovan Party of Socialists (PSRM), who picked up 14,849 votes and Evghenia Gutul, the candidate of the Shor Party, which was outlawed, who grabbed by 13 votes more. Evghenia Gutul was declared winner in the runoff election, with 52 per cent of all suffrages, while Grigorii Uzun picked up 47 per cent of the votes.     

Evghenia Gutul was sworn in the office of bashkan of UTA Gagauzia on 19 July this year.