Last Updated: Friday, 23 September 2016, 14:58 GMT

Moldova's Gagauz elect new governor

Publisher Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Publication Date 23 March 2015
Cite as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Moldova's Gagauz elect new governor, 23 March 2015, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/552f9d8f2b.html [accessed 25 September 2016]
DisclaimerThis is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

March 23, 2015

Voters in Moldova's autonomous territory of Gagauzia have voted in a new governor in a region where support for closer ties to Russia is strong.

Gagauzia's Central Election Commission (CEC) declared Moldovan parliamentarian Irina Vlah the winner, with 51 percent of the vote.

Nikolai Dudoglo, the former mayor of the Gagauz capital, Comrat, received 19 percent of the vote.

The CEC said more than 63,000 out of Gagauzia's 105,000 registered voters took part in the election.

Vlah has called for closer ties to Russia.

Gagauzia – which is populated mainly by ethnic Turk Christians – enjoys economic autonomy but has Moldovan police, schools, and courts.

Last year, Gagauzia held a referendum in which voters overwhelmingly chose closer ties with Russia and opposition to EU integration.

Moldovan officials banned a Russian television crew sent to cover Gagauzia's election last week.

Based on reporting by AP, TASS, and Interfax

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Copyright notice: Copyright (c) 2007-2009. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036

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