Public movement “Novaya Gagauzia” to become political party

The public movement “Novaya Gagauzia” on February 14 announced its intention to transform itself into a political party that will be named “Edinyi Bugeac” (“The United Bugeac”). The party’s leadership aims to represent the interests of the Gagauzians and Bulgarians in the Parliament of Moldova, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference, Nicolai Telpiz, head of the Geadyr-Lunga local office of “Novaya Gagauzia”, said the decision to constitute a party was taken in the February 11 plenary meeting of the movement. Nicolai Telpiz said they adopted such a decision because the Moldovan authorities have ignored the interests of the Gagauzians and Bulgarians who live mainly in the south of the country. The new party will plead for making Russian an official language in Moldova. “Since Gagauzia was founded, we haven’t been heard by the central authorities. De jure, Gagauzia has the status of autonomous region, but de facto nothing is respected,” said Nicolai Telpiz. According to him, the future political organization will be a left and pro-Russia party. The party’s leader will be elected in the first plenary meeting set to take place in March. Nicolai Telpiz also said that “Novaya Gagauzia”, which is now headed by the Mayor of Comrat Nicolai Dudoglo, has 16,000 members and the number of its supporters is on the rise.