Petru Vlah registered as a candidate for Governor of Gagauzia
Another candidate has registered for the race for Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia. Former MP Petru Vlah will run in the November 15 election representing the "NOI – Noua Opțiune Istorică" (WE – New Historical Option) party. The Central Electoral Council of Gagauzia (CECG) officially registered his candidacy on Friday, October 9. This brings the total number of candidates admitted to the race to five.
Petru Vlah is 56 years old and originally from Comrat. He served as a municipal councilor in Comrat, a deputy in the People's Assembly of Gagauzia (2008–2010), and a Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova representing the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) between 2010 and 2014. In 2018, he served as executive director of the regional public broadcaster Gagauziya Radio Televizionu (GRT).
In August 2025, Vlah joined the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR Moldova) party and ran on the party's list in the September parliamentary elections, occupying the fifth position.
In September 2026, Petru Vlah initially announced his intention to run as an independent candidate for Bashkan. In early October, he abandoned this plan, and on October 2, the "NOI – Noua Opțiune Istorică" (NOI – New Historical Option) party nominated him as a candidate.
Previously, the CECG had registered four other candidates: Fiodor Gagauz, supported by the Party of Socialists; Ivan Cîlcic, nominated by the Gagauz People's Party; and independent candidates Alexandr Stoianoglo and Cornel Dudnic.
Three other contenders for the office of Bashkan are awaiting the registration of their candidacies: Ivanna Koksal, Serghei Anastasov, and Oleg Garizan—all independent candidates. The election for Governor (Bashkan) of Gagauzia is scheduled for November 15, 2026. On the same day, residents of the autonomous region will also elect the 35 deputies of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia.
