Prosecutor in case of Gagauzia's governor's file threatened; Moldova's Superior Council of Prosecutors demands authorities' intervention

Ghenadie Epure, prosecutor in the file of Governor of Gagauzia Evghenia Gutul, claims to have received threats. The president of the Superior Council of Prosecutors (CSP), Dumitru Obada, publicly unveiled the information at a today's session of the Superior Council of Prosecutors (CSP). He described the situation as "inadmissible."

The CSP president reiterated that this was an absolutely unacceptable situation and strongly condemned any pressure on accusers.

"These attempts, we must say from the very beginning, will not succeed. Honest, integral and courageous prosecutors will continue to fulfill their duties," Obada noted.

The CSP president called on competent institutions to assess the risks and take appropriate measures, in order to protect the targeted prosecutor and to ensure the free exercise of justice.

Earlier, Livia Mitrofan, a member of the Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM), also said that she had received new death threats less than a week after filing a complaint to the police in a similar case.

Last week, the CSM member filed a complaint to police, after she and magistrate Ana Cucerescu, who examined the file of Gagauzia Governor Evghenia Gutul, had received threats.

In a broadcast on public television, the head of the General Police Inspectorate  (IGP), Viorel Cernauteanu, informed that the threatening calls addressed to judge Ana Cucerescu and the CSM member had originated from abroad. He specified that the individuals involved in the intimidation actions had made more mistakes, which helped the investigation.

On August 5, the Chisinau Court, Buiucani headquarters, sentenced Gagauzia Governor Evghenia Gutul to seven years in prison. The court found her guilty of knowingly accepting illegal funding from an organized crime ring, in the interest of a political party and an electoral candidate. In the same case, the secretary of the former Shor Party, Svetlana Popan, was sentenced to six years of imprisonment.