Experts express concern about the existence of paramilitary organizations in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia and criticize the law enforcement bodies of Moldova for inaction. Such statements were made in the program “Fabrika” on Publika TV channel, IPN reports.
Former acting director of the Security and Information Service Valentin Dediu said the arrest of a young man at the Chisinau airport on suspicion of extremist acts and participation in the military actions of the pro-Russian separatists in Donbas points to the existence of illegal paramilitary organizations in Gagauzia. “We are concerned about the existence of the Gagauz army. These young people, who are actually victims of politicians with separatist aspirations from Comrat, are trained to take part in separatist acts either in Transnistria, which is not controlled by Chisinau, or in Russia. This young man from Gagauzia worked illegally in Moscow, where he was recruited. There are many Gagauz people who live or study in Tiraspol, while a large part of the people from Gagauzia work illegally in Moscow, where some of them are recruited,” he stated.
Anatol Caraman, chairman of the Association of the 1992 War Veterans “Tiras-Tighina”, accused the authorities and the law enforcement bodies of Moldova of taking no steps to prevent the formation of the Gagauz guards. “We sounded the alarm first in 2013, in a news conference, but the authorities didn’t react. Only in the spring of 2014, after we made an approach to the head of state, did the authorities take attitude and made several arrests. We, the former combatants of the Nistru war, got tired of sleeping with the pistol under the pillow owing to the inaction of the law enforcement bodies,” he said.
Political analyst Oazu Nantoi said the situation is rather dangerous. “It’s known that when Bessarabia formed part of Romania, the Gagauz people were well integrated into the community. What is happening now in Gagauzia is a consequence of the Russification and expansionist policy pursued by Russia. We wonder if Gagauzia needed autonomy at a time when Russian is spoken there, it is the language of study in schools and there are no textbooks in the mother tongue. All this things were arranged by Russia long ago,” he stated.
Unaffiliated lawmaker Mihai Godea, who is a member of the Parliament’s commission on state security, said the situation is alarming and also accused the authorities. “Not a Gagauz man in a uniform is dangerous. Those who are behind him are dangerous. The situation requires action, but the law enforcement bodies do nothing. No attitude was taken towards the governor of Gagauzia Mihail Formuzal who, being a member of the Government, infringed on the sovereignty of Moldova,” he said.
