Expert: Following the Constitutional Court's decision, Evghenia Guțul will keep her mandate as Bashkan, but it is unclear how the central authorities will work with the member of the Government
Even if following the Constitutional Court's decision to outlaw the "Șor" party, the elected Bashkan of Gagauzia from the party's lists will keep her mandate, it is not clear how the central authorities will work with Evghenia Gutul. This is the opinion of the expert of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, Mihai Mogildea, who argues that the dissolution of the "Șor" Party does not compromise her powers, but this fact should worry the inhabitants of the autonomy. The statement was made during the "In Context" programme on public television.
Mihai Mogildea, an expert from the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, says that the Constitutional Court's decision to dissolve the Șor Party could set precedents for the exercise of the mandate of Evghenia Gutul, who is the party's representative.
"On the one hand it will go on keeping the decision of the Court of Appeal which, as far as I understand, in this context is in the higher court, which can decide on the validation of this mandate. At the same time, I don't see how Evghenia Guțul could be part of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, as long as she comes as a representative of the "Șor" Party for the position of Bashkan of the Gagauz Autonomy. It is hard to believe that the government in Chisinau will offer her a position in the government team. It's a complicated situation. I think that the most worried should be the inhabitants of the Gagauz region who voted for Evghenia Gutul and now have a representative of an outlawed party at the head of the autonomy", said expert Mihai Mogildea.
In mid-May, Evghenia Guțul, the candidate of the "Șor" party, won the second round of the elections for the Bashkan of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia. Shortly afterwards, the Comrat Court of Appeal validated the results of the elections in the Gagauz autonomy, although the National Anti-Corruption Centre and prosecutors raided a criminal case on voter corruption. At the same time, the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Moldova initiated 8 contraventional proceedings in the case of illegal financing of the electoral campaign for the Bashkan elections. According to the CEC, the legal ceiling for cash donations in the amount of 11,700 lei was exceeded. In total, more than 1.4 million lei were donated, of which almost 440 thousand lei were donated by the candidate of the "Șor" party, Evghenia Gutul. The CEC has notified the Central Electoral Council in Comrat about these illegalities, but no action has been taken to clarify the facts. In total, 106 donors are targeted, who are suspected of illegal financing by exceeding the cash donation ceiling. If found guilty, individuals risk fines of between 1,500 and 4,500 lei, and those in positions of responsibility - between 9,000 and 15,000 lei.
