Moldovan Court of Appeal upholds sentence in file of Gagauzia's governor

The Centru Court of Appeal today issued its decision to uphold the first-instance ruling in the file involving the governor of the Autonomous Territorial Unit (UTA) of Gagauzia, Evghenia Gutul, and former secretary of the Shor party, Svetlana Popan.

Through the today’s decision, the Centru Court of Appeal rejected as unfounded the appeal filed by the defendants’ lawyers against the ruling of the Chișinău Court, issued on August 5, 2025, under which the two women were sentenced to seven and six years in prison, respectively, and obliged to pay more than 56.4 million lei.

As a result, Evghenia Gutul remains sentenced to seven years in prison in a semi-closed penitentiary in the case concerning the illegal financing of the former Shor party, while Svetlana Popan stays sentenced to six years in prison to be served effectively.

The decision is final and enforceable from the moment it was pronounced, but it may be challenged before the Supreme Court of Justice within two months from the date of the ruling.

The sentence was delivered after the examination of the appeal submitted by the defense lawyers.

The appeals filed by the lawyers of Evghenia Gutul and Svetlana Popan reached the judges of the Centru Court of Appeal in early October 2025, following the conviction of the two women by the lower court.

On August 5, 2025, Evghenia Gutul was sentenced to seven years in prison by judges of the Chisinau Court in the file concerning the illegal financing of the former Shor party. At the same time, Svetlana Popan was sentenced to six years in prison to be served effectively. They were accused of knowingly accepting the illegal financing of a political party and an electoral competitor from an organized criminal group, an offense committed continuously and as accomplices.