Uncertainty over Gagauzia People’s Assembly elections: no date set despite August 16 legal deadline
Local deputies from Gagauzia were unable to agree on a date for the elections to the People's Assembly on Friday, August 15. As a result, the decision was postponed indefinitely. According to the law, however, August 16 is the final day for the Gagauz authorities to establish the electoral authority in the region and set the election date for the People's Assembly.
During the session of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia (APG), the first item on the agenda was the formation of the Central Electoral Council (CEC). Participants noted that neither the Comrat Court nor the Executive Committee submitted candidates for this body, as reported by Radio Moldova Comrat.
According to the Electoral Code of Gagauzia, the local legislative body is responsible for proposing three candidates for the electoral authority. The Executive Committee must designate an additional three candidates, and one candidate must be put forward by the court in Comrat.
Serghei Zaharia, an APG deputy, expressed concern, stating, "I would like to know the reason why no candidates were submitted to the CEC. What do we do about the next topic? What about setting the election date? The lack of functionality of the electoral authority in Gagauzia creates a direct cause-and-effect relationship."
In response, Ilia Uzun, the interim Bashkan of Gagauzia, clarified, "People must be prepared and be specialists in the field. Therefore, at the next meeting of the Executive Committee, we will examine and approve these candidates."
Not all participants favored voting for a new composition of the Central Electoral Council. Petru Manol, head of the Justice Department, voiced his opposition: "The only body that can validate our elections for the APG is the Comrat Court of Appeal. Currently, that court does not exist; we only have the Southern Court of Appeal."
In December 2023, the APG deputies dissolved the old composition of the electoral authority in Gagauzia. However, this decision was annulled by both the lower court and the Comrat Court of Appeal, and the case is now pending at the Supreme Court of Justice. Manol emphasized the need to await the court's decision before making any arrangements for the elections.
Some deputies suggested postponing the discussion on setting an election date, but not everyone agreed. Mihail Jelezoglo, another APG deputy, argued, "Our mandate expires on November 16, 2025. Therefore, we need to set the election date; the term is four years, and the date must be the first Sunday after the mandate expires. The other arguments are unjustified and based on illegal geopolitical reasons."
According to the law, elections for the People's Assembly of Gagauzia (APG) must be held on November 16, and the Central Electoral Council must be formed three months prior to this date.
Currently, Gagauz Autonomy is facing significant institutional challenges. The mandate of the current People's Assembly is about to expire, and the Bashkan, Evghenia Guțul, was sentenced to seven years in prison in the first instance.
The absence of a functional electoral authority in the region is contributing to political uncertainty in Gagauzia.
