Gagauzia's new speaker requests court halt, backs EU path
The newly elected speaker of Gagauzia’s People’s Assembly (APG), Valentin Gaidarji, is seeking a judicial reprieve to initiate political negotiations with Moldova's central government regarding local regional elections.
Gaidarji formally requested the Constitutional Court of Moldova to postpone its hearing scheduled for July 7. The court is set to examine the legality of Gagauzia’s regional electoral procedures.
Diplomatic outreach and regional stability
During a press conference on July 6, Gaidarji announced he had dispatched official letters to Moldova’s top leadership.
The letters were also sent to foreign ambassadors, including those representing the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation, alongside the OSCE. The letters call for a revival of "sincere dialogue" to defuse multi-year political tensions.
"The autonomy must not be perceived as a threat to state unity, but rather as a pillar of stability, peace, and development for the Republic of Moldova," Gaidarji stated.
He emphasized that disputes between Comrat and Chisinau must be resolved through mutual respect rather than legal or political warfare.
Legislative discrepancies and the Shor shadow
The speaker proposed a round-table discussion involving Moldova’s leadership and APG representatives to bridge the gap between regional laws and national legislation.
Addressing geopolitical alignment, Gaidarji expressed support for Moldova's European integration, though he advocated for a phased approach that normalizes relations between Chisinau and Comrat first.
Furthermore, Gaidarji attempted to distance the region from its controversial political past. He claimed that the continuous association of the autonomy with fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor is being weaponized to tarnish Gagauzia’s image.
Institutional deadlock
The legislature's mandate officially expired in November 2025. Previous election dates set for March 22 and June 21 were struck down by moldovan courts.
On July 3, the APG rescheduled the regional legislative elections for November 15, 2026. Simultaneously, regional lawmakers filed a counter-petition to the Constitutional Court, challenging the validity of Moldova's national Electoral Code.
The current Constitutional Court case was initiated by Moldovan Justice Minister Vladislav Cojuhari on March 9, 2026. The Ministry challenges the special legal status of Gagauzia, arguing that allowing the local assembly to appoint its own electoral bureau creates an unconstitutional institutional dualism.
The region currently operates without a governor. Former Bashkan Evghenia Gutul was sentenced to seven years in prison for her involvement in the illegal financing of the banned Shor Party.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
