Gagauzia
MP: If the union with Romania happens, I will take my weapon to defend the Gagauz autonomy
24 February 2018- The Democrat MP, Corneliu Dudnic, declared that in the case of Moldova uniting with Romania, he would be the first to take his weapon to defend the Gagauz autonomy. The declaration was made during an assembly of regional and local governments of Gagauzia in Tomai, next to Ceadîr-Lunga.
“Just to close this discussion on unionism, I am promising that if this project of Union ever takes place, I will be the first to take my automatic rifle and to defend the Gagauz autonomy”, said Dudnic. The Democrat MP also promised to elaborate a draft law on banning political parties with unionist messages.
Over one thousand people from all over Gagauzia gathered to condemn the symbolic declarations of some 50 villages on union with Romania.
The Gagauz leader, Irina Vlah, declared that Gagauzia must stay within an independent Moldova:
“I would like that this meeting confirms that we are interested in consolidating the statehood of Moldova. I am sure that a strong Gagauzia can exist only in a strong Moldova”, underlined Vlah, quoted by Gagauzinfo.md.
Other leaders from Gagauzia, such as former head of the Council of “the Republic of Gagauzia”, Mihai Kendigelyan, or the current head of the People’s Assembly, Vladimir Kyssa, proposed to call 2018 the year of Romanian occupation of Gagauzia- apparently because of the period of 1918-1940.
Most of the speakers at the assembly were mostly concerned about Gagauzia’s possible loss of autonomy in case Moldova loses the statehood:
“If the state is eliminated, what kind of Gagauzia’s competencies are we talking about? Thus, first of all, we need to talk about consolidating the statehood of our country”, stated former regional deputy, Ivan Burgundji.
What President Dodon and Gagauz people call anti-constitutional and threatening acts are just some symbolical statements of local councils from about 50 villages, towns or district councils on the occasion of the 1859 Romanian Union Day.
Gagauzia was established in 1994 as an autonomy for around 150 000 Gagauz (Turkic origin) people in the south of the Republic of Moldova.
27 April 2018- The Member of the Moldovan Parliament, Nikolay Dudoglo, announced about his withdrawal from the Democratic Party (PDM) and the withdrawal of his MP mandate.
Dudoglo was reportedly asked by the Democratic leadership to choose between his membership in the party and his participation in a new regional political movement “Eni Gagauzia” (New Gagauzia). In a press release of the organization, the Gagauz MP and former Comrat mayor stated that he chose to lead New Gagauzia because “it is time to make Gagauzia a strong region”.
Dudoglo confessed that despite having a fruitful work with PDM members, he abstained from voting for projects that did not coincide with his vision on Gagauzia. His recent activity within New Gagauzia posed a problem for the Democrats:
“The leadership of PDM believes that some of my actions, that I undertook from Gagauzia’s perspective, violate the principles of the party and the European vector of the development of the State”, said the MP.
Dudoglo underlined that he would remain politically active as a “leader” of his people:
“I stay with the conviction that we need to act the way our people want. I am sure that I can fulfill serious tasks, which are put before us by life, being an independent leader of my people (literal meaning nation– Moldova.org)“, concluded Dudoglo, expressing his hope for understanding and support.
New Gagauzia reportedly joined the Democratic Party of Moldova in 2012.
Gagauzia was established in 1994 as an autonomy for around 150 000 Gagauz (Turkish origin) people in the south of the Republic of Moldova. Gagauzia’s leadership is composed of the directly elected bashkan, now Irina Vlah, and the People’s Assembly.
The bashkan of Gagauzia, Irina Vlah, showed her dissatisfaction during a yearly press conference regarding the quota of MPs set for the region in the new electoral system, reports TV8.
“We were lied to. Initially, the discussion was about five mandates, then we were talking about three mandates within the implemented mixed system. As a result, we ended up only with two mandates”, says Vlah.
The leader of the region is also dissatisfied with the distribution of electoral districts within Gagauzia but made it clear that the situation is convenient to the Democrats.
Vlah supported the idea of a special law offering a quota of 5 MPs for Gagauzia by default.
According to the new electoral system, 51 MPs would be elected from electoral districts and 50 from party lists. The Venice Commission strongly advised the Moldovan authorities not to implement the mixed electoral system at the current moment.
Gagauzia was established in 1994 as an autonomy for around 150 000 Gagauz (Turkish origin) people in the south of the Republic of Moldova.
The draft law on the budget of Gagauzia for 2018 was recently approved by the Executive Committee of the autonomy, reports Gagauzinfo.md.
According to the chief of the finance department of the region, Tatiana Doycheva, the budget of 706 295 000 lei is more balanced between earnings and expenditures. Gagauzia’s own earnings are expected to be over 307 million lei. The biggest part of the expenditures, 336 million lei, will be made into the financing of the education system, also financed from the republican budget. Significant funds will be dedicated to the 8 social programs of the region. Some 15 million will be dedicated to the Fund of Contribution, 50 million to the Capital Investment Fund, 5 million to the Fund for Supporting Entrepreneurship and 800 thousand lei for the Fund of Gagauzia’s development.
The draft budget is now to be directed to the People’s Assembly, the regional parliament, for full adoption. The 2017 budget of Gagauzia was evaluated at 570 million lei.
Gagauzia was established in 1994 as an autonomy for around 150 000 Gagauz (Turkish origin) people in the south of the Republic of Moldova.
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