IPN analysis: the Bulgarian language may obtain the status of official language on the territory of Gagauzia. Though the representatives of the local Bulgarian community accepted this initiative, they suspect hidden intentions in it. The Moldovan experts in general consider it unjustified. At the same time, the real subtexts of this linguistic initiative can come out far beyond the borders of Gagauzia.
---
Example for Moldova
The Bulgarian language has chances to receive the status of official language on a part of Moldova’s territory, in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, whose executive authority examined this issue in one of its last working meetings. The Governor of Gagauzia Mihail Formuzal said the initiative concerning the granting of official language to the Bulgarian language was put forward by the inhabitants of the region, while the local administration is ready to examine it in all its aspects.
In an interview for IPN, the Governor said it is yet a long time until a decision is taken as the given issue is to be debated in a number of bodies and at several levels and is to be appraised by experts. “Personally, I’m not against granting the status of official language to Bulgarian. Though, I must say that this language enjoys protection inside the autonomous unit without official status. But if the deputies of the People’s Assembly adopt such a decision, this will be a good example of correct linguistic policy. The Bulgarians represent only 5% of the population of Gagauzia. However, we are ready to consider the possibility of granting official status to their language,” stated Formuzal. He voiced hope that the Moldovan authorities will have the same attitude towards the languages of the national minorities, which make up one third of the country’s population.
“It is yet interesting who proposed this initiative?”
Even if the Bulgarian population is for strengthening the status of the mother tongue, some representatives of the Bulgarian community suspect that this initiative has political undertones. Serghei Sapunji, mayor of Chirsova village that is half inhabited by Bulgarians, said that his co-villagers didn’t submit such a proposal.
“If Bulgarian is given the status of official language, it will be great. I’m in favor of this with both of my hands. But is it now opportune to raise this issue, given that our village faces so many acute problems?” Sapunji said in an interview for the news portal Gagauzinfo.MD.
According to him, the right of the Bulgarians living in Gagauzia to benefit from education in the mother tongue is not limited. Currently, the Bulgarian is taught in kindergartens, schools and universities free of charge. Thus, Bulgarian is not affected,” said the mayor of Chirsova. “The Governor said that there were many calls. I’m very curious to know who put forward this initiative, where does it come from and aren’t there certain political subtexts aimed at making us deviate from the existing problems.”
It is a matter of the Bulgarians, not of the Gagauz people
Representatives of the community of experts from Chisinau have a contradictory attitude towards this linguistic initiative. According to expert of IDIS “Viitorul” Cornel Ciurea, the promotion of the Bulgarian language is first of all a matter of the Bulgarians, not of the Gagauz people.
“If the adaption of such a decision is within the competence of the Gagauz authorities, they should assume responsibility and finance the use of this language. As this implies costs associated with the teaching in schools, translation of documents, and others,” Cornel Ciurea said in an interview for the portal NOI.md.
According to the expert, this is not a justified initiative as, even if the Gagauz language was given the status of official language in Gagauzia, the Russian language is anyway used wider there.
Example of the neighbors
We cannot deny the fact that Cornel Ciurea is right when he says that the decision to grant official status to the Bulgarian language will involve costs. On the other hand, it is evident that given the multinational character of southern Moldova, a flexible linguistic policy will represent an important instrument for building stable and non-conflict social relations. The authorities of Gagauzia even have an example of linguistic state policy in their neighborhood, whose main parameters can be applied in the autonomous unit.
The Bulgarian and Gagauz languages in summer obtained the status of official languages on the territory of Bolgrad district of Ukraine’s Odessa region, which is situated near Gagauzia. The members of the district council took into account the fact that the Bulgarian and Gagauz speakers are representatives of two regional linguistic groups and each of them represent over 10% of the population of Bolgrad district. Thus, all the privileges of Ukraine’s Law on the State Linguistic Policy now apply to the two languages. These privileges will be used in their work especially by the bodies of the state power, by the local self-government bodies and by the district court.
If the mentioned law is observed, the Moldovans living in the districts of Tarutino, Sarata, Reni, Krasnookneanski, Ananiev and a number of districts of the autonomous unit, where they represent over 10% of the population, can also enjoy the right to have the Moldovan declared as official language.
Aiming at Taraclia
Speaking about the initiative on the Bulgarian language, we should note that Taraclia district, which is mainly inhabited by Bulgarians, is situated near Gagauzia. That’s why it’s not excluded that Comrat, besides strengthening the interethnic relations in the autonomous region, can count on coming closer to the center of Bulgarians in Moldova. In case of ‘political storms’ in Moldova, the Gagauz people will be able to easier cope, joining forces with the Bulgarians, together with whom they came to Moldova over 200 years ago and with whom they went through many sociopolitical cataclysms.
In fact, this will count only if an official decision to this effect is taken. For the time being, the idea of officially recognizing Bulgarian is to be examined by the society of Gagauzia. It is the deputies of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia who will ultimately decide. But it is rather improbable that the deputies will be unanimous on the issue.
Veaceslav Craciun, IPN
