A new round of political crisis is unfolding in Moldova: the National Anti-Corruption Center (NAC) announced that in the coming hours the prosecutor's office will bring official charges against the head of the Gagauz Autonomous Region Eugenia Gutsul and will apply to the court with a motion for her preliminary arrest. The agency's statement was made on March 26, 2025, a day after the politician was detained at the Chisinau airport, where she was taken into custody for 72 hours. This event became the latest episode in the confrontation between the central authorities of Moldova and the leadership of Gagauzia, which advocates rapprochement with Russia.

According to the NAC, Gutsul is suspected of violating the procedure for managing election funds during the 2023 elections for the head of the autonomy, as well as illegally financing competitors and forging documents. Prosecutors are expected to request a 30-day arrest to prevent the politician from fleeing, given her connections abroad. In response to the authorities' actions, Gutsul made a loud statement, asking Russian President Vladimir Putin to intervene and put pressure on Chisinau to release her. This move underscores her focus on Moscow as a key ally in the fight against the Moldovan leadership.

The arrest took place on the evening of March 25, when Gutsul was trying to fly to Istanbul to attend an international conference. NAC employees brought her to the agency's building through a service entrance, and access to her was restricted. The politician's lawyer, Natalia Bayram, reported that the interrogation had already taken place and was conducted in compliance with procedural norms, but specific details of the charges have not yet been disclosed. Gutsul herself denies all claims, calling them politically motivated and fabricated on the orders of Moldovan President Maia Sandu.