Representative Of Pro-Russia Party Wins Election For Regional Leader In Moldova's Gagauzia

Evghenia Gutul of the pro-Russia Shor party has won the regional leader election in Moldova's Gagauzia autonomous region. Gagauzia's Central Election Commission said on May 15 that the 37-year-old Gutul beat her 36-year-old rival, Grigori Uzun, of the Socialist Party in a runoff held on May 14. The head of the Shor party, Ilan Shor, is currently in Israel evading arrest. Last month, a court of appeals in Chisinau doubled the original 7 1/2-year sentence that Shor was handed for his involvement in the theft of funds from three of Moldova's largest banks. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Moldovan Service, click here.