The Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia remains the weak ring of the Republic of Moldova, said former Prime Minister Ion Sturza, who was bewildered by the choice of citizens from Gagauzia. He noted that it remains an enigma how fugitive Ilan Shor managed to take over the autonomous unit and to make so that a completely unknown person – Yevgenia Guțul – received a vote of confidence from the citizens, IPN notes.
Ex-Prime Minister Ion Sturza said that Gagauzia represents a great challenge for Moldova, given that the majority of the population there elected as Bashkan the representative of an obscure group. The choice of the Gagauz people is inexplicable, given that the largest infrastructure projects in the region were carried out with European funds.
“Gagauzia is our weak ring. I’m alarmed not by the fact that Shor or his “furniture” rules there, but by the atmosphere in the Gagauz society. How was it possible for the local elites – good, bad, loyal, less loyal - to be pushed aside and for the fugitive Shor to come and install a lady who is not good for furniture even. She is unschooled – I don’t want to upset her. Therefore, I ask myself: how healthy is society there? How healthy is the Gagauz autonomous unit to understand what’s happening in the world? During the Soviet times, the Gagauz elites were anti-Soviet, believing that the Soviets denied access to their culture and language. Today they have everything. They have culture, they enjoy autonomy and, at the same time, they dream not of Russia, but of the Soviet Union,” Ion Sturza said in the talk show “The Shadow Cabinet” on JurnalTV.
He noted that the government in Chisinau should grow local leaders in the Gagauz autonomous unit, who would not act to the detriment of Moldova’s interests.
“We didn’t like any of the former Bashkans, but none of them were like this one. How was it possible for someone who promised them a cosmodrome to win? Now she promises them MIR cards. All this is nonsense and the people swallow it even if nothing of what is promised is done. For me, Gagauzia is an enigma. I talked to some leaders there and they understand that Shor uses them, and the lady has no capacity. We should make our agents of influence there, bring other leaders there, who even if they have ambitions, are not antinational,” said Ion Sturza.
The candidate of the outlawed Shor Party, Yevgenia Guțul, was elected Bashkan of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia in the May 2023 elections, obtaining over 52% of the Gagauz vote.
