Dodon asks Maia Sandu for "Christian mercy" for Guțul. The socialist asks the president to pardon the former Bashkana, but skips over the reasons why she ended up behind bars

Igor Dodon appealed to "empathy", "humanity" and "Christian mercy" in a letter addressed to President Maia Sandu, in which he asks her to pardon the former Bashkan of Gagauzia, Evghenia Guțul. The PSRM leader invokes the fact that she is the mother of two minor children and claims that her release could contribute to reconciliation between Chișinău and the Gagauz autonomy. In his argument, Dodon specifies, however, that he will not address the "reasons and circumstances" of the conviction. Guțul is serving a seven-year prison sentence in the case regarding the illegal financing of the former Shor party, a sentence upheld in May 2026 by the Centru Court of Appeal.

The socialist leader, however, avoids going into the circumstances of the case in which the former mayor was convicted.

"As the fifth President of the Republic of Moldova, I appeal to you to show empathy, humanity and Christian mercy and to pardon Mrs. Evghenia Guțul. I believe that the release of Mrs. Guțul can no longer influence the political situation in the autonomous territorial unit of Gagauzia. Instead, the pardon could become a gesture of political reconciliation between Chișinău and the Gagauz autonomy, between the central power and the Gagauz people.", invoked Igor Dodon.

Evghenia Guțul was sentenced to seven years in prison by the sentence of the Chișinău Court, Buiucani headquarters, on August 5, 2025. The Centru Court of Appeal upheld the sentence on May 28, 2026. The decision of the appeal court is enforceable, and the defense later appealed it to the Supreme Court of Justice.

In the same case, Svetlana Popan, former secretary of the Shor party, was sentenced to six years in prison. The two were found guilty in the case of knowingly accepting illegal funding from an organized criminal group in the interests of the political party.

Dodon's letter comes ahead of the election for the leadership of the Gagauz autonomy. The elections for the position of Bashkan are scheduled for November 15, and the PSRM has nominated former MP Fiodor Gagauz as its candidate.