By arresting the governor of Găgăuzia, the government in Chișinău wants to provoke social unrest in order to justify a military intervention by Romania, according to a false narrative launched in the region.
NEWS: By arresting the governor of Găgăuzia, Evghenia Guțul, Chișinău is trying to provoke the population of the autonomous region to mass actions, in order to invite Romanian troops into the country under the pretext of “restoring order”. This view was expressed in an interview to “MK” by the former commander of the “Bugeac” battalion (the special forces of the Republic of Găgăuzia), Ivan Burgudji. The veteran of the national liberation movement believes that in the 1990s, only two “anchors” prevented the unification of Moldova with Romania – Găgăuzia and Transnistria”.
[...] “It is unclear why there was a sudden need for her arrest. That is why I believe things are headed towards a civil war. It is no secret that agreements were signed between the governments of Moldova and Romania to allow Romanian forces to enter Moldovan territory to provide support to Chișinău, in case of need. By arresting the governor, the Sandu administration is trying to destabilize the situation and provoke the Găgăuz to take harsh actions. If the Găgăuz, for instance, organize a protest march and advance towards Chișinău, then Romanian troops could enter Moldova at the request of the Moldovan leadership”.
[...] “However, in my opinion, the main task now is not to fall into the trap of such provocations and not to give the Romanians the opportunity to come to the aid of Chișinău in order to “restore order”. In 1918, the Romanians entered Bessarabia the same way and stayed for the next 22 years. Right now, a similar scenario is being prepared. If the Romanians come here “to help”, they will also enter Transnistria and reach the Ukrainian border”.
NARRATIVES: 1. The government in Chișinău wants to provoke a civil war in the Republic of Moldova. 2. The Republic of Moldova and Romania have signed a secret agreement that allows Romanian troops to intervene on Moldovan territory. 3. Romania occupied Bessarabia in 1918.
PURPOSE: These narratives seek to discredit the authorities in Chișinău and undermine the European integration efforts of the Republic of Moldova. By invoking violent or treacherous intentions on the part of the government, the narrative seeks to sow fear and distrust in the Moldovan state. At the same time, they foster an anti-Romanian discourse aimed at breaking historical, cultural and political ties with Romania, but also to depict Romania as an imminent threat.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: Evghenia Guțul was detained and taken into custody based on a criminal investigation regarding the funding of her 2023 campaign. Guțul’s name is also tied to another criminal inquiry regarding the illegal financing of the former Shor Party, banned in 2023.
The decision to detain Guțul was made when she tried to leave the country for Turkey, claiming she was taking part in a non-existent event. Guțul was presumed to be trying to flee to Russia, Istanbul being one of the most important transit destinations when traveling from Chișinău to Moscow. Veridica also debunked false narratives concerning this case, widely covered by the Russian media.
There is no indication that the authorities in Chișinău intend to provoke a civil war, especially since Guțul is not the only politician investigated in criminal cases of political corruption, a phenomenon that is increasingly common in the Republic of Moldova, extremely visible including in the recent rounds of election – the presidential election and the constitutional referendum organized in the fall of 2024.
There is no official agreement that would allow Romania to intervene with military force in the Republic of Moldova. Veridica has previously dismantled similar narratives that referred to the Agreement on Military Cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and Romania, which claim Romanian military forces are allowed to be stationed indefinitely on the territory of the neighboring state. The agreement particularly refers to joint military exercises and cooperation/interoperability in the military field, but makes no reference to the permanent stationing of troops or mutual aid in the event that one of the two countries is attacked.
A similar campaign was launched a year ago in the context of amendments brought to the National Defense Law, described by Russian propaganda as preparation for a Romanian military intervention in the Republic of Moldova. At the time, Veridica explained that such claims were unfounded, citing legal provisions in force as well as experts.
The unification of Bessarabia with Romania occurred as a result of a broad national emancipation movement, which grew stronger starting 1905. Efforts to maintain the Romanian spirit in the governorate occupied by the Russian Empire in 1812 had been made even before then.
The unification was determined by the difficulties that Bessarabia underwent over 1917-1918, the territorial claims of Ukraine, but also aspirations for Romanian unity. After the tumultuous events of 1917-1918, Bessarabia was the first province to unite with Romania. The union was called for and voted by the National Congress (Statul Țării) in Chișinău on March 27, 1918, after the Zemstvo assemblies (local administrations) in Bălți and Soroca, together with the large landowners, proclaimed the union with Romania.
The union with Romania brought several benefits to the population of Bessarabia, which were diminished or even annulled during the Soviet period, but also after the independence of the Republic of Moldova, in order to induce the fact that Bessarabia had been annexed by Romania, and the National Congress voted the forced unification with Romania “for the whole world to witness”.
BACKGROUND: The Governor of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Găgăuzia in southern Moldova, Evghenia Guțul, was detained on Chișinău International Airport on March 25 while trying to fly to Istanbul. Her name is linked to several open investigations into acts of corruption. Guțul was subsequently placed on pre-trial arrest for 20 days. Her supporters organized protest actions in various settlements in Găgăuzia, but also in Chișinău.
Evghenia Guțul became governor of Găgăuzia in the spring of 2023 following a controversial election, where she was accused of vote buying. She is the representative of fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, convicted in a 2014 bank fraud case and accused of trying to sidetrack Moldova’s European accession as per Moscow’s interests. Guțul won the election owing to her populist promises.
The narrative about an imminent annexation of the Republic of Moldova to Romania, including in the wake of a military intervention from the latter, is one of the most frequently circulated by Russian propaganda and pro-Kremlin politicians in Chișinău to fuel the phobias of a part of the population, especially of national minorities, often referring to the “precedent” of 1918, i.e. the union of Bessarabia with Romania, which Soviet historiography labeled an “occupation”. This is also associated with the old Soviet narrative about the “Romanian gendarme” (who mistreated, tortured, and mocked the local population), launched shortly after the 1918 union of Bessarabia with Romania.
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