Gagauzia Autonomous Region Governor Gutsul: "Putin promised support"

Evgenia Gutsul, Governor of the Gagauzia Autonomous Region in Moldova, who attended the 2024 World Youth Festival held in the Sirius Federal Territory in Russia's Krasnodar Region, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Seeking support from Russia amid the political crisis with the central government of Moldova, Gutsul said, "At the World Youth Festival, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed with me the complex regional and geopolitical issues in which our Gagauzia is at the center. 

I informed Putin about the unlawful actions of the authorities in Moldova, who are taking revenge on us because of our stance and commitment to national interests. Chisinau is step by step taking away our powers, restricting the budget, and violating our legal rights. They are provoking instability in Gagauzia and in the whole country,” she said.

Stating that Putin promised to support them against the central government of Moldova, Gutsul added, “He promised to support the legitimate rights, powers, and position of Gagauzia and the Gagauz people on the international stage.”

"I HOPE TURKEY WILL NOT ALLOW IT"

Previously, in an interview on the sidelines of the World Youth Festival, Gutsul expressed her hope that Turkey would pressure the Moldovan authorities and not allow the violation of the region's special legal status, saying, “In my meeting with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan last September, I spoke about the discriminatory policy of the ruling party and the President of Moldova (Maia Sandu) toward the Gagauz people. We hope that Ankara will influence the Moldovan authorities and not allow our special legal status to be violated.”

THE DISPUTE BETWEEN GAGAUZIA AND CHISINAU

Last May, Evgenia Gutsul, the candidate of the pro-Russian Shor Party, won the gubernatorial election in the Gagauzia Autonomous Region. In June, the Moldovan government declared the Shor Party “illegal,” accusing it of cooperating with Russia.

Following the election of the governor of Gagauzia, the Moldovan government began to exert pressure on the region. In October 2023, a bill submitted by the ruling party was passed in the Moldovan parliament, which stipulates that the value-added tax (VAT) for businesses in the autonomous region should be covered by the autonomous region's budget rather than the national budget.

Furthermore, Moldovan President Sandu has not yet signed the decree confirming Gutsul's membership in the government, despite the laws.

While Gagauzia, an autonomous region in the south of Moldova, favors closer ties with Russia, the Moldovan administration adopts a policy of integration with Europe. In February 2014, a referendum was held in Gagauzia regarding the determination of Moldova's foreign policy, and more than 98 percent of voters expressed their support for Moldova's integration with the Customs Union established by Russia.

News Source: İHA