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Moldovan autonomous region’s governor meets OSCE delegation

The bashkan (governor) of the Autonomous Territorial Unit Gagauz-Yeri from southern Moldova, Mihail Formuzal, November 12 met OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors and Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Jennifer Brush. The sides discussed more issues of social and economic situation in UTA Gagauz-Yeri, the local administration’s press service has reported.

Formuzal said that special attention was paid to the observance of human rights and ensuring the functioning of the democratic norms in the region. „For seven years already, the UTA Gagauz-Yeri has been promoting a policy of consolidating Moldova’s statehood, by setting an efficient dialogue with the central authorities. Yet, there are some difficulties too. In this respect, we have prepared a petition addressed to OSCE, in which we pointed to the need to amend the legislation on the Gagauz autonomy’s status,” Formuzal said.

For her part, Thors emphasised that the autonomy’s item was familiar to her, as there were also autonomous regions in her native country, Finland, - the Aland Islands. In the context, Thors reminded that, while earlier holding the office of minister of migration and European affairs, the cooperation with the local autonomies had been among her duties. „I know a lot in terms of the dialogue between the central and regional authorities,” Thors said.

At the end, Formuzal voiced hope that the Comrat administration would set prodigious cooperation ties with the current OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities.

Adapted from Moldpres