News - Gagauzia hopes Turkey will protect it, autonomy’s head says

The autonomy of Gagauzia hopes that Turkey will influence the authorities of Moldova and will not allow violating the legal status of the region, the latter’s head, Yevgenia Gutsul, told RIA Novosti. "During the meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in September last year, I mentioned the discriminatory policy of the ruling party and president of Moldova towards the Gagauz people. We hope that Ankara will influence the Moldovan authorities and will not allow violating our special legal status," Gutsul said on the sidelines of the World Youth Festival in Sirius, Russia. Earlier, Gutsul had petitioned to Turkey, asking to call on Chisinau to end its "destabilization attempts and manipulations" towards the autonomy of Gagauzia. Last spring, elections for the head of Gagauzia were held in the autonomy, and Gutsul, who was the candidate of the pro-Russian Sor party, won. In June, Moldovan authorities declared that party unconstitutional, accusing it of collaboration with Russia.