This report examines the security and political repercussions of Gagauzia Governor Eugenia Guțsul’s arrest and sentencing, alongside legal actions targeting opposition figures, all in the lead-up to Moldova’s parliamentary elections on September 28, 2025.
Recent Transnistria’s appeal for protection to Russia has elevated the regional geopolitical risk, underscoring the precarious situation in Moldova. Transnistria, also known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), has sought Moscow’s aid in response to alleged pressure from the Moldovan government.
The Moldovan application for EU membership might create another front of the confrontation between Moscow and Brussels in a period of time characterised by European sanctions due to the Russian military invasion in Ukraine.