Former Gagauzia speaker Dmitri Constantinov flees to Transnistria ahead of 12-year prison sentence
Dmitri Constantinov, the former Speaker of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, fled to the breakaway Transnistrian region on December 25, just one day before being sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Viorel Cernăuțeanu, Chief of the General Police Inspectorate (IGP), confirmed that specialized surveillance operations tracked Constantinov's movements. The fugitive official reportedly used a succession of three different vehicles to reach the separatist enclave around noon on Christmas Day.
The escape route
Police analysis of the "traceology" revealed that Constantinov began his journey at 10:00 AM. By switching vehicles multiple times, he successfully misled authorities and crossed into the uncontrolled territory where Moldovan law enforcement lacks jurisdiction.
At the time of his flight, Constantinov was only under a travel ban within Moldova. Chief Cernăuțeanu emphasized that any proactive detention or unauthorized surveillance prior to the December 26 verdict would have been illegal and punishable for officers.
Institutional backlash
The escape has drawn sharp criticism from Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, who accused authorities of repeating past systemic failures. Critics point to a lack of preventive measures despite the high flight risk associated with the case.
The IGP countered that their actions were strictly bound by legal constraints. "Once he left on the 25th, it created a reasonable suspicion that he was certain the evidence would lead to a conviction," Cernăuțeanu stated, noting the security risks of operating in Transnistria.
Corruption and conviction
On December 26, the Comrat Court sentenced Constantinov in absentia to 12 years in a high-security penitentiary for abuse of power and embezzlement. The court also ordered the seizure of €2.34 million (approx. 46 million MDL) from his assets.
Constantinov, an ally of the sanctioned fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, had officially resigned from his post in the Gagauz legislature in mid-November 2025. His current whereabouts within the separatist region remain unconfirmed by official sources.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
