The Bashkan of Gagauz Autonomy, Evghenia Guțul, is the target of a misdemeanour case for exceeding her authority or exceeding her duties. The criminal case was opened on 5 September by the Prosecutor’s Office of ATU Gagauzia based on a complaint by two civic activists. The information was confirmed to Ziarul de Gardă by the spokeswoman of the Prosecutor General’s Office (PG), Violina Moraru.

“At the moment, there is no person with the status of an offender in the named case. The prosecutor’s office is going to hear the representative of the injured party and take all necessary actions to elucidate the relevant circumstances and establish the truth,” Violina Moraru said.

On 19 July 2023, the inauguration of the new Bashkan of ATU Gagauzia, Evghenia Guțul, took place in Comrat. Neither Prime Minister Dorin Recean nor any other government representative attended the ceremony.

On 22 May 2023, the Comrat Court of Appeal validated the mandate of Evghenia Guțul, a member of the “Șor” party, which was declared unconstitutional by the CC, in the post of Bashkan of Gagauzia. According to the final minutes presented by the Central Electoral Commission of Gagauzia, Evghenia Guțul won the second round of the elections for the post of Bashkan of the region with 52.34% of the votes.

The day after the inauguration of Evgenia Gutul, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (AP) came up with clarifications in the criminal case on illegal financing and bribery of voters during the election campaign for the candidate for the position of Bashkan of ATU Gagauzia. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, eleven persons have been recognized as suspects in this criminal case.

The criminal case was initiated by the National Anti-Corruption Centre (NAC) on 27 April 2023, based on materials received from the National Investigation Inspectorate (INI) of the General Inspectorate of Police, according to the constitutive elements of the offence of corruption of voters and violation of the management of political party or electoral funds.

In November 2022, the representatives of the Executive submitted to the CC a petition for verification of the constitutionality of the Political Party “Shor”. According to the petition “through all its activities so far, the “Șor” Party has acted in contradiction with the principles of the rule of law and endangers the sovereignty and independence of Moldova”. On 19 June 2023, the Constitutional Court admitted the Government’s application. Thus, the political party was declared unconstitutional, deeming the party dissolved.

According to the CC ruling, the “Shor” Party MPs became independent MPs, without the right to join other parliamentary factions. In addition, the seat that was vacated when Ilan Shor was left without a mandate will remain vacant throughout this legislature.

On 12 June 2019, Șor held a final press conference. It was two days before the Democratic Party of Moldova ceded power and switched to the opposition. Subsequently, on 30 July 2019, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that Ilan Shor had illegally left Moldova and was put under national and international search.