Gagauzia: Region choosing Russia

This year, elections for the bashkan (head) of Gagauzia, a unique entity within the Republic of Moldova, should take place.

The Gagauz are one of the few Turkic-speaking peoples who have been professing Orthodoxy for many centuries. Among the Gagauz there is a tradition of completely abstaining from food and water during the first three days of Lent (they call this custom “trimur”). Traditional Turkic holidays among the Gagauz are associated with the Orthodox calendar: Hederlez - the day of St. George the Victorious (April 23/May 6), Kasym - the day of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica (October 26/November 8).

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At the end of the XNUMXth – beginning of the XNUMXth centuries, the Gagauzes who lived on the territory of Bulgaria, as well as part of the Bulgarians, moved to the southern regions of Bessarabia. In Soviet times, the Gagauz and Bulgarians were the predominant population in a number of regions of the Moldavian SSR and the Odessa region of the Ukrainian SSR.

In the years preceding the collapse of the USSR, areas with a predominance of Gagauz people almost became one of the hot spots of the former Union. This was a reaction to the epidemic of nationalism and hatred of national minorities that gripped all the union republics, including Moldova, where almost the entire national elite, including such pillars of art and culture as actor Mihai Volontir, composer Evgeniy Doga, poet Grigory Vieru and many others, generously favored by the Soviet regime, suddenly turned into heralds of the ideology of aggressive pan-Romanianism.

Gagauzia became the first region, even before Transnistria, that declared itself first as an autonomy within Moldova (November 12, 1989), and then as a union republic within the USSR (August 19, 1990). In order to “suppress separatism,” the leadership of Moldova sent volunteers to the south of the republic, accompanied by police detachments. Mobilization began in Gagauz settlements. These events were called the “Campaign against Gagauzia”. Bloodshed was prevented thanks to the arrival of units of the Soviet Army (Bolgrad Airborne Division) and volunteer detachments from Tiraspol.

For four years, Gagauzia existed as a de facto independent republic. The main bodies of state power (president, Supreme Council, ministries and departments, army units) were formed and functioned. In 1994, after sensible forces (farmers and socialists) came to power in Moldova, with the mediation of Russia and the OSCE, it was possible to reach an agreement between Chisinau and Comrat on the peaceful integration of Gagauzia into the Republic of Moldova on the basis of autonomy with broad powers. The official languages ​​in Gagauzia are Gagauz, Moldavian and Russian. The Bashkan of Gagauzia is an ex-officio member of the Government of Moldova.

Since then, Gagauzia has remained one of the most pro-Russian regions of Moldova. On the territory of the Gagauz autonomy, the most odious Moldovan law “on the fight against Russian propaganda”, adopted by the Moldovan Parliament on the initiative of the Democratic Party, is not applied - all Russian television programs are broadcast in full without restrictions. In all Moldovan elections, Gagauzia consistently votes for candidates who support the Eurasian vector. Few people know that on February 2, 2014, a consultative referendum was held on the territory of the Gagauz autonomy on the attitude of the population of this region to Moldova’s participation in certain integration projects.

With a turnout of 70% of the region's population, 97% of Gagauz residents voted for Moldova's entry into the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Moldova's entry into the EU was supported by only 2,44% of Gagauz people. At the same time, 97% of the region's population voted for the deferred right of Gagauzia to external self-determination in the event of a change in the constitutional status of Moldova (joining Romania or joining NATO).

In 2015, in the elections for the Bashkan of Gagauzia, Irina Vlah, who actively advocates a close union with Russia, won in the first round. Her candidacy was supported by the Russia-friendly Party of Socialists, led by Igor Dodon. After the announcement of the election results, an impromptu rally under Russian flags took place through the night streets of Gagauz cities and villages.

In the 2016 presidential elections, Igor Dodon received 91% of the votes in Gagauzia in the first round, and 99% of the votes in the second round. In the recent parliamentary elections, 80% of the votes were cast for the Russia-friendly Socialist Party. PSRM candidates Alexander Sukhodolsky and Fedor Gagauz were elected to single-mandate constituencies in Gagauzia.

By the way, the same situation is in the neighboring Taraclia region, inhabited by ethnic Bulgarians. In 2016, in this district, Dodon received, respectively, 87% in the first round and 96% in the second round. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, 79% of voters voted for the PSRM in the Taraclia region; in the single-mandate district in Taraclia, the district chairman, Kirill Tatarli, supported by the socialists, won.

It should be noted that similar pro-Russian sentiments are shared by Bulgarians and Gagauz people living compactly in neighboring areas of the Odessa region: in these areas, Yuri Boyko won during the first round of the 2019 presidential elections.

Not everything is smooth in relations between Chisinau and Comrat. Throughout the 90s and 1994s, the central authorities of Moldova gradually eliminated many of the clauses of the law on the creation of Gagauz autonomy from XNUMX. We are talking about the procedure for elections to local authorities, powers in the field of administrative-territorial structure, appointment of judges in Gagauzia, approval of the prosecutor of Gagauzia, appointment of heads of security forces, powers in the field of tax policy.

Several years ago, the People's Assembly of Gagauzia took the initiative to change a number of laws of the Republic of Moldova in order to bring them into line with the Constitution and the law on Gagauz autonomy. During the work of the joint working group of the Parliament and the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, compromise versions of three bills were developed, approved by European experts. Today, the only party that is promoting the adoption of these laws is the Socialist Party.

There is also a factor of internal struggle in the region. The ruling Democratic Party in Moldova, relying on some clans in Gagauzia, has gained control over the People's Assembly and is trying, by amending the Electoral Code, to make it as difficult as possible for Irina Vlah to be re-elected to the post of Bashkan of the region. The People's Assembly postponed the elections from May 19 to July 30 - the height of the summer holidays. At the same time, the electoral barrier rises from 30% to 50%. Moreover, according to one of the amendments, candidates who are not elected during the elections due to lack of turnout cannot run again. Irina Vlah stated that she would not sign this law. Its numerous supporters began collecting signatures in the cities and villages of Gagauzia.

Gagauzia remains a consistently friendly region of Russia. At the same time, the Chisinau authorities do not give up hope of shaking this region and bringing it under their complete control. Therefore, Gagauzia will soon become another region of geopolitical confrontation.