(Dan Tri) – After the Transnistria region, another region of the European country Moldova asked Russia for protection.
A city in the Gagauzia region (Photo: Wikipedia).
The governor of Moldova’s Gagauzia region has become the second regional leader of this Eastern European country to request Russian protection.
Gagauzia Governor Eugenia Gutul accused Moldova’s pro-European Union (EU) President Maia Sandu of `suppressing` pro-Kremlin residents during a meeting with Russian Senate president Valentina Matvienko in Moscow on March 1,
`We want to continue to receive support from the Russian Federation,` Ms. Gutul told Ms. Matviyenko in yesterday’s meeting, before proposing to establish direct flights between Gagauzia and Russia.
Ms. Matviyenko appreciated Ms. Gutul’s efforts for taking care of `the development of the economy`, calling for `the expansion of relations between our regions and Gagauzia` and pointed out that
`There is an autonomous territorial unit, Gagauzia, that cares about its citizens, wants to develop and wants to improve the welfare of its citizens,` Ms. Matviyenko said.
`And if the leaders of Gagauzia are willing to cooperate in this way, we will provide all possible support to strengthen and expand our relationship. And no one can prohibit us from doing so
Ms. Gutul was elected leader of Gagauzia in an election last year.
Map of Gagauzia region (Photo: Wikipedia).
The Russian and Moldova authorities have not commented on the above information.
This development occurred after lawmakers in Moldova’s breakaway region, Transnistria, issued a resolution on February 28 asking Russia for support in the face of economic pressure from the pro-Western government.
The resolution accuses Moldova of launching an `economic war` against Transnistria and deliberately blocking negotiations with the pro-Russian separatist government, according to Odessa Journal.
Separatist region lawmakers also called on other parties such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the European Parliament, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Since Moscow launched a `special military operation` in Ukraine, Moldova has remained concerned that the Kremlin could use Transnistria to open a new front in the southwest, near Ukraine’s southern Odesa province.
Relations between the two countries deteriorated significantly when the government of Moldova, a former Soviet country, expressed its pro-Western stance.
In February 2023, Moldova President Maia Sandu accused Russia of plotting a coup to overthrow her country’s government.
A representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry told state news agency RIA Novosti that Moscow would `consider` considering Transnistria’s request to protect Russian speakers in the region.
