If you shine a light on the Moldovan republic it is not long before geopolitical discussions are framed as an Eastern European nation caught between looking to the West or the East.
However, the realities are that it fails to capture the nuances within Moldova with a tendency to overlook the autonomous region of Gagauzia. It would be a mistake to mute or grant a lesser focus to Gagauzia. Why? It may be small and many in the West may never of even heard of it – let alone – given a thought to how it fits into the overall picture of Moldova and the geopolitics of Eastern Europe.
Its size is precisely why is affords more than a passing mention. Gagauzia punches above its weight as it holds the keys to Moldova’s fate. On that notion alone, it is a force to be reckoned with that illustrates it is a microcosm which will unlock the future of this Eastern European nation as it grapples with its own identity. It is this quandary that I wish to assess.
Background
It was against the backdrop of the fall of the Soviet Union which saw Moldova declare its sovereignty. Shortly thereafter, the Gagauz followed with calls for independence in August 1990 – the “Gagauz republic” located in the southern part of Moldova centred around the capital city, Comrat.
Although widely disputed in scholarly circles it has been acknowledged that the Gagauz peoples are predominately Eastern Orthodox Christians of Turkic origin. They identify more closely with Moscow than they do with national authorities in Chișinău whom they deem as more aligned with Romania and the West more broadly.
Nevertheless, what is the situation today regarding the status of Gagauzia vis-à-vis Moldova? It is this question in which my focus will now turn.
Autonomy within Moldova
Gagauzia is administered as an autonomous territorial unit within Moldova. It maintains its own legislative body what is known as the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia which is comprised of 35 elected members who serve a four-year term.
The population makeup is not only ethnic Gagauz but it also includes Moldovans, Ukrainians and Bulgarians, to name a few. It is the Russian language that is widely spoken throughout Gagauzia as well as to a lesser extent Gagauz, a Turkic language, Moldovan and Romanian.
If you were to wander along the main street of Comrat your first impression will be that it is named after none other than Lenin. In short, politics and identity are intimately entwined in Gagauzia displayed no more so than with the language. It is a legacy which looms large in Gagauzia which is why the naming issue of Moldovan and the Romanian language is also so sensitive.
Once the Soviet Union fell many nationalists in Moldova pushed for the removal of the Cyrillic alphabet introduced by their former rulers. Instead they wanted a return to the Latin alphabet that was more in keeping with Romania and in line with other European nations in the West.
The autonomy of Gagauzia therefore highlights the complexities which lay at the heart of Moldova and how it navigates its future path. Should it forge its own identity? Is it a matter of either-or and to whom shall it look to for support? It is these questions which I am keen to explore to determine what direction it will take.
Enter: Russia
As mentioned you are never too far away from hearing the Russian language uttered on the streets in Gagauzia. This is despite the fact that the largest minority within Gagauzia speak a Turkic-based language, Gagauz.
It underscores how the two languages pervade the autonomous republic and thereby shapes the peoples who reside there. In essence, it sets them apart from large swathes of Moldova who overwhelmingly speak Moldovan – or even more so – that would stipulate it as Romanian and see themselves more closely aligned to Romania.
One cannot also underestimate the religious ties which are present in Gagauzia. Eastern Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion practiced in Gagauzia despite the fact the Gagauz are of Turkic origin. History and religion are once again entwined.
The shadow of Russia is never too far away in Gagauzia where language and religion form a strong bond among the Gagauz people. In comparison to their Moldovan or Romanian-speaking counterparts who reside in other parts of the Eastern European nation whose outlook is more closely shared with Romania and look towards the West.
Enter: Turkey
In terms of identity one should also not overlook Turkey for whom the Gagauz share cultural ties. For example, Turkey have lent their support to educational establishments throughout the autonomous republic to sustain the presence of the Gagauz language.
For Ankara it has been viewed as a means of cementing their influence vis-à-vis Russia and Moldova. The Turkish government has thus been keen to foster closer and deeper links with the Gagauz peoples to ensure they look to them for stability and support beyond merely cultural ties.
It goes without saying that the motives of the Turkish government are to curry favour with the Gagauz peoples in order to maximise their influence in Eastern Europe. The rhetoric of friendship underscored no less than by the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a visit to Gagauzia in 2018. In essence, strategic gains are in their sights.
Future path for Gagauzia?
Gagauzia can be viewed as a puzzle piece whose situation is complicated at best; at its worst it is ripe for conflict if it is not handled with care.
It is evident the East-West narrative is impossible escape. The presidential election outcome will leave the authorities in Chișinău with serious food for thought about how Moldova should move forward without the risk of leaving Gagauzia behind.
At present the future path for Gagauzia looks beset with problems. It will only worsen if they are sidelined as part of the broader debate within Moldova about how to forge ahead in terms of its foreign policy and geopolitics with its neighbours and around the world. To put it simply: Gagauzia matters.