Mikhail Formuzal: Gagauzia has the right for own political destiny!

It is 19 years from the date of acceptance by the parliament of Moldova of the Law «About Gagauzia Special Legal Status» and formation of the Gagauzian autonomy. The solemn meeting about it took place at which the bashkan of Gagauzia Mikhail Formuzal who has accurately formulated the political position made a speech:

- 19 years ago the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted the Law «About Gagauzia Special Legal Status» which became the legal base for the Gagauzian autonomy. Official recognition of the autonomy became a result more than the five-year period of active fight of the Gagauzian people for the rights. After all the Gagauzian autonomy was impossible without the Gagauzian Republic and the Gagauzian Republic without activity of people’s movements «Gagauz Khalky, Vatan, Miletus of Sanzhisy, Birlik».

The emergence of Gagauzia on the map of the Republic of Moldova was not casual. Recognition of an autonomy turned out to be consequence of the wakened consciousness of our people who have reacted to calls of those years — nationalism revelry, threat of loss of the Moldavian statehood and prospect of assimilation of Gagauzian ethnos as a part of other state having experience of an anti-Gagauzian aggressive policy in 20−30 years of the XX century.

Having achieved the autonomy status, our people counted that their voices will be audible in the Republic of Moldova, that our interests will be considered when carrying out internal reforms and foreign policy, that the central authorities will respect a political choice of Gagauzian people. Unfortunately, the history of the last 19 years is full of opposite examples.

The legislation of the Republic of Moldova is upgraded and new acts are adopted without provisions of the Law on Gagauzia Special Legal Status. The autonomy isn’t presented at institutes of the power of republican level, and the place of bashkan in the government turned into scenery which has no real opportunity to influence something. There is purposeful deprivation of Gagauzia of administrative potential. So, the ambulance, republican hospital, «Moldtelekom», customs and many other services are transferred from the autonomy to Kagul.

The short-sighted foreign policy of the Republic of Moldova led to introduction by Russia, our strategic partner, embargo on wine import from what Gagauzia suffered most of all. Thus the government didn’t undertake any anti-recessionary programs for our wine makers and didn’t allocate any compensations or subsidies for support of wine-making sector. Moreover, Gagauzia appeals to reconsider the foreign policy in favour of improvement of the relations with Russia, were apprehended in bayonets in Kishinev.
We tried to treat with endurance to policy of the European integration of the Republic of Moldova, expecting to hear convincing arguments about benefits which will be brought to Gagauzia inhabitants by the European prospect. However, in practice we see that reforms which are carried out under slogans about European integration often are contrary to interests of the Gagauzian autonomy and the European integration rhetoric turned into a screen behind which there is a sharing of the political power in the country between oligarchic forces. The only European integration which happens actually is a creeping delivery of the Moldavian statehood and association processes with Romania.

Today Gagauzia and its inhabitants appeared in an absurd situation: having supporting the strengthening of independence of the Republic of Moldova, we became the object of charges from the president that we contradict its Romanian views.

It should be noted with regret that many of those calls which threatened our people two decades ago, today again demand the decision. Modern political circumstances are that the actions of only bashkan or People’s assembly are not enough for the answer to existing threats. In order that Gagauzia survived, it is necessary that the people proved. The people can prove most convincingly the subjectivity and the right for the future in the history. So Gagauzian people proved in the nineties. And so it has to prove today.

As you know, the referendum is appointed in the autonomy on February 2 on which the inhabitants will speak on two questions: about a choice of a foreign policy vector and about Gagauzia right for external self-determination in case of loss of the independence by Moldova. In this context I address to deputies of People’s assembly, to local authorities and all political forces of the autonomy with an appeal to forget about internal contradictions in time which has remained to a referendum and to concentrate the forces on providing a guarantee of successful carrying out plebiscite.

The day of February 2, 2014 has to guarantee the protection of our national interests, and also turn of Gagauzia into an anchor of the ship of the Moldavian statehood. This action has the fatal decision for us and we have no moral right to think of private political interests at this time.

As for a question of foreign policy, I consider that after a referendum Gagauzia has to continue the influence on the central power, achieving carrying out a course on economic integration with the Russian Federation and the countries of the Customs Union. At the same time I consider wrong Gagauzia’s representation as enemy of the European Union. We consider attractive the European experience of political decentralization and investment with powers of regions. Also the European standards of work of judicial system and other practical realities of EU are a reference point for us.

But at the same time we have to protect access of our goods on boundless east market, achieve receiving cheaper energy resources which our fellow citizens can pay. One of fundamental questions is protection of traditional Christian values and traditions of the Gagauzian people who are incompatible with some legislative norms of EU.

The thesis of Bolsheviks that «revolution cost something only when it is able to protect itself» is well-known. Paraphrasing this idea, it is possible to recognize that Gagauzia will cost something until it will be able to protect itself. At the beginning of the 90th the Gagauzian people showed an instinct of self-preservation and proved that it has the right for existence. I am absolutely sure, as today our people are capable to confirm Gagauzia’s firmness and its right for own political destiny.