The Gagauz Autonomous Region of the Republic of Moldova celebrated the 30th anniversary of its establishment with a ceremony held on 23 December 2024 in the capital Komrat.
The ceremony was attended by the President of the Gagauz Autonomous Place Yevgeniya Gutsul and Dmitriy Konstantinov, Chairman of the local parliament called ‘People’s Assembly’, as well as Turkey’s Consul General in Comrat Adnan Hayal, mayors, representatives of the Executive Committee, council members and many guests.
In his speech at the ceremony, President Gutsul pointed out that Gagauz gained autonomy 30 years ago and said: ‘Moldovan and Gagauz peoples reached a compromise 30 years ago and chose agreement and dialogue. The problems of that period were resolved peacefully.’
Gutsul stated that Turkey and Russia played an important role in the autonomy of the region and said, ‘We are very grateful to the late Süleyman Demirel, the President of the time. Demirel’s ability in diplomacy and his strong international reputation influenced the negotiations between Comrat and Chisinau, which resulted in an agreement 30 years ago.’
Turkey’s Consul General in Comrat Hayal reminded that the then President of the Republic of Turkey, the late Suleyman Demirel, played the role of mediator between Chisinau and Comrat and said: ‘The Gagauz people are extremely important for us. The relations of the region with Turkey are at a level befitting cognates and brothers’.
In addition to the official ceremony, folklore performances, concerts and competitions were also organised within the framework of the celebration programme.
