We risk having not a conscious vote on March 22, but a vote influenced from outside, said the candidate for the post of Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia Serghei Chernev. The election runner has told IPN that on the last 100 meters the voters must understand that on March 22 they will elect not the President of the Russian Federation, but the Bashkan of Gagauzia. The relations with the central authorities will depend on the person who will be elected to this post.

Serghei Chernev said the people often vote with the ears, not after analyzing the candidates. In the region, the people are markedly Russia-oriented and this thing was evident in the parliamentary elections, when a large part of the people voted the pro-Russian course. Now some of the candidates, using this situation, are trying to mislead the voters. “Some think that if they vote for a particular candidate, we will immediately join with Russia, but this thing will never happen. We do not elect the President of Russia, but the Governor of Gagauzia, with whom we will have to live during the next four years,” he noted.

The candidate said the policy pursued by some contenders is worrisome because it endangers the state security and can create tensions in the relations with the central authorities. The relations with the Moldovan authorities were very good and these supported Gagauzia, offering it a number of privileges. There are candidates promoted by the former administration, who thus want to avoid being punished for the committed illegalities.

The election runner said he aims first of all to take actions for the law to work and for corruption to be combated. They often invoke the lack of money in the region. There is yet money, but it is stolen. A priority is also to create jobs and a favorable climate for investments as the people will also gain from this.

Two registered candidates withdrew from the race for the post of Bashkan. The remaining contenders are: Valerii Ianioglo, Ruslan Garbaly, Nicolae Dudoglo, Irina Vlah, Oleg Garizan, Alexandru Stoianoglo, Serghei Chernev, Dumitru Croitor, Ilia Anastasov, and Leonid Dobrov.