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Gagausia
Text:
UNPO (Unrepresented Nations’ and Peoples’ Organization)
Ed.:
Andrew Andersen
Map:
Andrew Andersen
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Geographical
Features:
Gagauzia is an Autonomous Territorial Unit
in Moldova,
with its own elected parliament. It borders the Republic
of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
The area is 1800
km˛.
The capital is Comrat (32 000 inhabitants).
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Population:
The population of Gagauzia is 170 000. The Gagauz make up 82% of the population (137 500 people).
The remaining inhabitants are Moldovans, Russians,
Bulgarians and Ukrainians. The Gagauz are of the
once numerous Oghuzian tribes that settled in the
south- western part of Europe in the 11th
century.
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There
are in fact several hypotheses about possible origins of the Gagauz. Some ethnologists believe that they are Turcisised Bulgarians, others refer
to them as Christianized Turks. According to a theiry
generally accepted In Turkey
they are descendants of the Turkish tribe of Goek Oghuz (“Blue Oghus”) who moved
to Dobruja from central anatolia
as early as the 13th century. According to a popular theory
accepted in Russia and Ukraine, they
are descndants of the Patzinaks,
nomadic Turcic tribe that was present in the area
already in the 8th century.
Gagauz diaspora in the world is 59,000 strong. It includes some
32,000 Gagauz peoplel
residing in the Ukraine, 12,500 in Russia, 10,000 in Bulgaria, 5,000 in
Turkey, 3,000 in Romania, 3,000 in Greece, 2,000 in the USA and Canada and
1,000 in other CIS countries excluding Russia.
(Andrew Andersen)
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Languages:
The Gagauz are a Turkic-language people. There are
three official languages in the Gagauz Region: Gagauz, Moldovan and Russian.
Religion:
Orthodox Christianity.
Political
Organisation:
The Autonomous republic
of Gagauz-Yeri
is represented in the UNPO by its legally elected representative body - the
Peoples Assembly of Gagauzia. The elected leader of
the Gagauz-Yeri parliament is called Bashkan and is elected for a four-year term. Gheorghe Tabunscic was elected in November 2002 as Bashkan of Gagauzia.
Political and Legal
Status
Gagauzia is governed in accordance with the
Constitution of the Republic
of Moldova, the
"Law on the Special Legal Status of Gagauzia",
republican and local laws, as well as other normative acts issued by the Gagauzian Parliament.
The Moldovan Parliament accepted the law "On the Special Legal Status of
Gagauzia", giving Gagauzia
the right to independently determine issues relating to its political,
economic and cultural development. In the event that the Republic of Moldova's
status as an independent country changes, the people of Gagauzia
have the right to self-determination.
Gagauzia has adopted its own symbols that include a
coat of arms, flag and anthem, which are used along with the national symbols
of the Republic
of Moldova.
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Flag of “Gagauz Halky” movement (1988)
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Flag of Gagauzia adopted in 1992
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Flag of Gagauzia adopted in 1995
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Brief History:
The Gagauz are a people of Turkic decent whose
ethno-genesis lies with the Oguz, Petchenegs and Cuman tribes
that inhabited the plains of Central Asia, north of the Caspian and Aral Sea
between 500 BC and 900 AD[2]. In the tenth and eleventh century these tribes
migrated south (to from the ancestors of the Turkmen) and west. The tribes
who moved west settled in the Balkan (Macedonia,
Bulgaria and Romania)
where they adopted a sedentary lifestyle as well as Orthodox Christianity.
The first Gagauz state was established in the
thirteenth century along the Black Sea coast
in North East Bulgaria in Dobruja. This state was
dissolved in 1417 when it became part of the Ottoman
Empire. The population remained in the territory and continued
to speak the Gagauz language and practice the
Orthodox Christian religion. Due to the shared ethnic relationship with the
Turks, the Gagauz enjoyed a special autonomy within
the Ottoman Empire.
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According to a legend which is quite popular
among the Gagauz people today, a mounted Gagauz regiment was protecting Constantinople
against Osman Turks during its fall in 1453. It is
believed that Gagauz warriors were fighting at the
side of the last Byzantine Emperor (Constantine XI )
until his heroic death on April 29, 1453.
(Andrew Andersen)
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From 1770 to 1812
the Gagauz migrated to Southern Bessarabia, where they settled. They lived
under Russian rule until the border changes of 1856, when the territory
became part of Romania.
During World War II the Gagauz suffered greatly
with much loss of life through German occupation, Stalin’s work camps and the
great famine of 1946/47.
Until the 1980’s there was no political Gagauz
movement. Due to the new Soviet leadership it became possible to speak out on
Gagauz issues. This resulted in 1988 in the
creation of the movement known as the "Gagauz
People", which held its Assembly the following year. At this Assembly, a
resolution was adopted to create an autonomous territory in southern Moldova
with Comrat as its capital.
After the independence of Moldova,
the Gagauz authorities declared Gagauzia
an autonomous republic on 19 August 1990. Moldova, stating it was
unconstitutional, did however not recognize this. With help of Russian
forces, the Gagauz authorities established firm
control over their territory. In 1991 a political party called Gagauz Halky (Gagauz nation) was established, which advocated autonomy
for Gagauzia.
Eventually, the
moderate Gagauzian political views to accept
autonomy within the state of Moldova
came to predominate. Following negotiations with the Moldovan parliament an
autonomous republic
of Gagauz-yeri
was declared in December 1994. In March 1995 a referendum was held in which
the people could decide if they wanted to be part of the Autonomous republic of Gagauz-yeri.
After the elections of 1995, the Gagauz autonomous
republic focused on the revival of Gagauz Turkish
culture and established ties with Turkey. Economic progress has
also been high on the agenda, especially because Gagauz-yeri
has been an impoverished region. In 2001 a Gagauz-Romanian-Russian
dictionary was published through the "Cainac"
Fund for the Support and Development of the Gagauzian
Science and Culture, attached to the Moldovan Academy
of Sciences.
The last
parliamentary elections, which were held in November-December 2003 for the
National Assembly, were won by the electoral block of the former communists
and the independent ”For Flourishing Gagauzia
within the Renewed Moldova”. 23 out of 33 members of the National Assembly are
Communists. Presently the National Assembly of the Region of Gagauzia rules the autonomous region of Gagauz-yeri, whereby Moldova control’s the external
relations and defence. The leader (Bashkan) of Gagauzia also holds
the position of vice-prime-minister of the Republic of Moldova.
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Calendar of Major
Historical Events
(Click here for the short
history of Moldova
with maps and illustations)
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1812
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The Gagauz people settle in southern Bessarabia after Russia´s annexation of the territory between Dniester and Bug.
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1856
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Territorial changes
in the region return Gagauzia to the Principality
of Moldova.
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1878
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Gagauzia is re-annexed by Russia.
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1818
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Together with the rest
of Bessarabia Gagauzia is incorporated into Romania.
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1905
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As a result of
peasant uprising, the first Gagauz republic is
proclaimed in Comrat. The uprising is put down by
two Royal dragon regiments of Russia
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1940
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After Bessarabia’s annexation
by the USSR, the territory of Gagauzia is divided between the Moldovian SSR and the Ukraine.
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1941-44
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Together with the
rest of Bessarabia Gagauzia is re-conquered by Romania.
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1945
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The whole area is
once again conquered by the USSR, the territory of Gagauzia is divided between the Moldovian SSR and the Ukraine the same way it was
divided in 1940.
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1980
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The Gagauz campaign for self-determination begins
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1988
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Political movement
"Gagauz People" (“Gagauz
Halky”) is created
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1989
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A Law on Languages
is enacted in Moldova,
which is perceived as discriminatory by the Gagauz.
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1990
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An independent Republic of Gagauzia was proclaimed in several
southern districts of Moldova.
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1991
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Comrat State
University established.
Political movement “Gagauz Halky”
is reorganized into apolitical party that advocates autonomy for Gagauzia.
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1994
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The status of Gagauzia (Gagauz Yeri) is recognised as an
autonomous region within Moldova.
Gagauzia officially becomes an autonomous republic
within Moldova.
Gagauzia becomes a member of the UNPO.
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1995
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An end to the
five-year conflict between Moldova
and Gagauzia is officially declared. The elections
for the National Assembly of the Region of Gagauzia
are conducted. Several elections have been held for Bashkan
of Gagauzia since then.
Gheorghe Tabunscic elected Bashkan of Gagauz Yeri (1995 - 1999).
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1999
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Dumitru Croitor
elected Bashkan of Gagauz
Yeri (1999 - 2002)
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2001
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Gagauz-Romanian-Russian dictionary
published
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2002
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Gheorghe Tabunscic elected Bashkan for a
second term.
Dmitrii Croitor
(ex-Bashkan of Gagauzia)
is appointed to the post of a Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova
at the UN Office in Geneva.
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2003
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The amendments to
the Moldavian constitution, formalizing the status of Gagauzia,
are passed by the Moldavian parliament.
Parliamentary elections are held in Gagauz Yeri.
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2004
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International
conference “Ten years of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia” celebrates the successes of ten years
self-determination.
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2005
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Gagauzia voters participate in the
Moldovan Parliamentary elections of 6 March; Gagauzia
voter turnout is 53.94%, while for the whole of Moldova it is 58.86%
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FIRST PUBLISHED AT:
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