The Baccalaureate diplomas issued by the authorities of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia to students who failed the Romanian language and literature exam will not be recognized by Moldovan education institutions, Minister of Education Mihail Shleahtitski has told Info-Prim Neo. Moreover, by issuing these diplomas, the Gagauz authorities broke the law and such a decision represents a secessionist act, said the minister, stressing he expects a reaction from the country’s administration and decision makers. Mihail Shleahtitski also said that any citizen of Moldova must know the official language, even the Bashkan of Gagauzia Mihail Formuzal. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, the head of the Gagauz Executive Committee Administration Division Pavel Tulba said many of the students of the region, including those with negative grades in the Romanian language exam, have been accepted into universities in Russia and Turkey on the basis of interviews and now need to present high school graduation diplomas. Pavel Tulba also said that the issued diplomas are valid only this year. The next year the students will have to take again the failed exam. A number of 45 high school students failed the Romanian language and literature exam in Gagauzia this year.