On December 23, Gagauzia marks the adoption by the Parliament of Moldova of the Law on the Special Legal Status of Gagauzia. By this law, the Moldovan MPs in 1994 created the legal framework for the appearance of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia on Moldova’s map, IPN reports.

The festivity that will be held in Comrat will involve senior state officials and ambassadors working in Chisinau. Among the invitees are also former Presidents of Moldova Mircea Snegur and Petru Lucinschi. Festive events, exhibitions and meetings with activists of the movement for creating Gagauzia will be also staged in other settlements of the autonomous unit.

December 23 is a nonworking day in Gagauzia.

The formation of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia was preceded by the proclamation of the unrecognized Gagauz Republic on August 19,1990. Different military confrontations took place while this republic existed. They resulted in casualties.

It is believed that a key role in resolving the dispute between Chisinau and Comrat was played by Turkey, which, on the one hand, convinced the Moldovan authorities to grant the districts inhabited by Gagauz people the status of autonomous region and, on the other hand, offered the Gagauz people the guarantee for the existence of the new autonomous unit within the Republic of Moldova.