(Bloomberg) -- The European Union sanctioned top officials of Moldova’s autonomous region of Gagauzia for attempting to undermine the country’s sovereignty, days before presidential elections and a referendum on EU membership.
Brussels sanctioned Gagauzia’s Governor Evghenia Gutul and four other regional officials on Monday for promoting separatism and “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” of Moldova, according to an emailed statement. The bloc also targeted a Russia-based NGO for promoting Moscow’s interests abroad.
Moldova’s Oct. 20 vote will be held alongside a key referendum on setting Moldova’s path toward the EU in its constitution. The eastern European country faces growing Russian pressure to derail its efforts to join the bloc by the end of the decade.
The move to sanction Gutul follows a similar decision by the US earlier this year.
“Moldova faces massive direct attempts from Russia to destabilize the country,” the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said in the statement. “Today’s listings are yet another contribution to the resilience of Moldova.”
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