Zelensky accuses Russia of trying to destabilise Moldova
In the scramble that was the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many new breakaway states came into existence.
One of these was Gagauzia, an autonomous republic that sits within Moldova’s territory but declares itself entirely separate from the country.
Unlike Transnistria, the breakaway state in Moldova’s east which has stayed neutral on the Ukraine war, Gagauzia has categorically declared its support for Russia.
This isn’t just the case for the self-declared leaders of Gagauzia: the Gagauz themselves appear to be sympathetic to the Russian cause, only last month voting in a pro-Russian candidate from the Shor Party, whose leader, Ilan Shor, is currently in exile after being sentenced in absentia to 15 years for fraud and money laundering.
Now, Keith Harrington, an academic who has worked on Moldova and travelled extensively throughout the country, has described Gagauzia as the “thorn in Moldova’s side”, one that risks cutting through to the rest of the country and its bid to join the European Union if pro-Russian sentiment continues to grow.
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Gagauzia makes up a small proportion of territory inside Moldova and borders Ukraine (Image: Google Maps)
Speaking to Express.co.uk, he noted that relations between the autonomous state and Chişinău, Moldova’s capital city, had in recent months soured: “Things between the two are much more tense than they are between Transnistria and Moldova.
“The reason for that is because the Gagauz are completely pro-Russia. There’s no alternative voice in Gagauzia for moderation.
“Not everyone endorses Putin’s war so openly, but they also reject absolutely any effort by Moldova to criticise Russia to move away from Russia, to move towards the EU.”
Harrington says things began to change between Gagauzia and Moldova from around April 2022. Back then, Chişinău brought in laws off the back of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that looked to distance the country from Moscow, things like outlawing the pro-Russian ‘Z’ symbol and limiting Russian TV being broadcast within its borders.
Men hold Gagauzia flags at Victory Day celebrations in Comrat, the region’s capital, May 2023 (Image: GETTY)
“That’s when things started to go south very quickly,” Mr Harrington said. “Moldova was suffering essentially an economic war from Russia, where Russia was hiking up gas prices and Russia was not subsidising gas in Gagauzia, the people in Gagauzia lived very badly for the last year.
“Pro-Russian propaganda has framed it as the Moldovan government’s fault. You know, Russia does no wrong. If Russia hikes the gas prices Well that’s because Chişinău is being mean to Russia, not because Russia is trying to destabilise Moldova.”
This propaganda appears to have translated directly to the ballot box. Local elections in Gagauzia in May were won by Shor Party candidate Evghenia Gutul, who secured 52 percent of the vote.
As part of her campaign, the 36-year-old promised to build a new airport worth €100million, increase the salaries of budget workers by 30 percent, build an amusement park, as well as invest in public infrastructure, and education. However, some commentators say these are impossible pledges.
Local police have claimed that voting violations were widespread during the elections, including things like vote buying by the Shor Party, which was also accused of fraud during the first round.
Ilan Shor pictured during a video message to crowds the day before the Gagauzia elections (Image: Partidul ȘOR/Facebook)
The party was also accused of bussing voters to polling stations. Criminal investigations have already been opened into the vote, with political analyst Nicolae Negru writing in Balkan Insight: “The leaders of Comrat [Gagauzia’s capital] behave as if they are outside the Moldovan state, as if the legality of the sources of financing for the electoral campaign, the obligation to ensure democratic, free and fair elections, do not concern them. Let’s see how Chisinau will respond.”
In response, the Shor Party released a statement that read: “We will defend the citizens’ right to a free choice by all legal means.”
Mr Harrington said it is believed Gagauzia will look to organise an anti-EU referendum this autumn.
He said: “Recently, a gathering of the political elite in Gagauzia basically declared that, ‘if our demands aren’t met, we will take matters into our own hands.’
“One of their demands was not to pursue EU membership, but obviously that’s not going to happen.”
On March 23, 2023, Moldova was granted EU candidate status after the European Council agreed to provide all relevant support to the country in the face of Russian aggression and with a conflict next door.
Moldova has already faced a number of reported infiltrations by Russian agents, earlier this year shutting down its airspace after reports of an alleged insurgence emerged.
In April, Express.co.uk met with Moldovan MP Andrian Cheptonar, who exclusively shared ads being bought up by pro-Russian forces in Moldova calling on the public to overthrow the government.
Maia Sandu, Moldova’s President and leader of the Party of Action and Solidarity has only been in power since December 2020 but has fast-tracked the country’s attempts at further integration with the EU and Western Europe — much to the dismay of Moscow-aligned parties in Moldova.
Asked whether Ms Sandu was increasing tensions by pushing very hard to change Moldova, Mr Harrington said: “They are moving incredibly fast […] but you’ve got to make hay when the sun shines.
“They have this unique opportunity from the war […] Moldova wasn’t even getting pocket change, and now suddenly everyone’s interested in Moldova, so I don’t blame the government for rushing, you know, trying and get through these reforms because if ever there’s a time there’s a time Moldova will get into the EU, it’s now.”