Russia exploits Gagauzia election delays to stall Moldova EU path
Chisinau is attempting to unblock negotiations with the Comrat administration regarding the elections for the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia (APG). However, political experts warn that external interference is actively driving the ongoing legislative paralysis to fuel regional instability.
Former Mitchell of Justice Alexandru Tanase warned that a recent appeal filed with the Constitutional Court could completely reopen the structural dispute over the legal status of the Gagauzia Autonomous Territorial Unit.
Kremlin subversion through local proxies
Andrei Curararu, a security expert at the WatchDog think-tank, stated that Chisinau's willingness to negotiate a compromise highlights its commitment to institutional dialogue. However, he emphasized that the current deadlock serves the geopolitical interests of the Russian Federation rather than the actual needs of the autonomous region.
According to Curararu, Chisinau has approached the negotiations on an equal footing, refusing a rigid top-down enforcement. The political actors in Comrat, however, continue to block the process to advance the destabilization goals of the fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor.
The economic and geopolitical toll of destabilization
The disruption of a technical agreement follows a recent visit by Russia's special envoy, Ambassador Ozerov, signaling direct Kremlin pressure. Experts stress that every day without a legitimate government in Comrat deprives local citizens of crucial European development funds and infrastructure projects.
Moscow views both Gagauzia and the Transnistrian region as hybrid tools to project an image of Moldova as an unstable state unready for European Union integration. Having exhausted direct economic leverage, Russia has shifted to internal political sabotage and orchestrated diplomatic maneuvers to stall Chisinau's Western path.
Constitutional review threatens autonomy framework
The legal dispute escalated further after the Ministry of Justice filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court regarding the division of powers. Former Constitutional Court President Alexandru Tanase explained that judges might now review the constitutionality of the landmark amendments that originally shaped the region's autonomous status.
If the Court finds that past parliaments exceeded their revision limits, portions of the autonomy framework could be struck from the Constitution. Legal analysts warn that local leaders in Comrat are being drawn by Moscow into a highly dangerous judicial game.
Deepening institutional paralysis
The institutional crisis worsened following the resignation of the interim APG President, Nicolai Ormanji. Legislative sessions on June 2 and June 10, 2026, collapsed due to a deliberate lack of quorum among local deputies.
Additionally, APG Vice-President Gheorghe Leiciu stated that the position of Bashkan (Governor) should be declared vacant. A recent Chisinau Court of Appeal ruling upheld the criminal conviction of the current Bashkan, Evghenia Gutsul, legally depriving her of the right to exercise her official duties.
Origins of the electoral deadlock
Elections in Gagauzia have been blocked for over six months due to systematic legal and political disputes over regional electoral bodies.
The mandate of the People's Assembly officially expired in November 2025, but consecutive elections planned for 2026 were repeatedly canceled by courts. The Ministry of Justice maintains that within a unitary state, local security and electoral structures cannot operate under a unlawful system of dual subordination to both Chisinau and Comrat.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
