What is Gagauzia? | The Geopolitics of Gagauzia

Situated in the South of Moldova is the autonomous region of Gagauzia, populated by an ethnically Turkic group - the Gagauz. The Gagauz, enticed to their current home by the Russian Empire from Bulgaria during the 1800s, are an orthodox Christian Turkic group with strong Russian influence.

Since its reintegration into Moldova, Gagauzia has become a leverage point for Russia in its effort to keep Moldova away from the European Union, NATO and Romania, with the threat of Gagauz separatism being a thorn in the side for Chisinau, though a small one.

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By GeoVane, formerly AR Global Security and Base Rate (Global Guessing, and Crowd Money).

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In 2014, in light of events in Ukraine, the region held two referenda, voting overwhelmingly in favour of joining the Russian led Eurasian Customs Union instead of the European Union, and in also in favour of a “deferred independence” bill proposed in Gagauzia’s legislative body, that would allow the region to become independent were Moldova to “lose its national sovereignty”, the main example of this loss of national sovereignty being Moldovan unification into Romania. Fundamentally, ties between Gagauzia and Moscow are strong and give Russia influence in Moldova.

However, with the collapse of the USSR and the changing geopolitical dynamic in the 21st century, it isn’t just Russia that has an interest in this small enclave of Turkic speakers. Turkey, with its increased emphasis on pan Turkism, has also taken an interest too. Turkey has funded and helped build education centres, retirement homes and sports facilities in Gagauzia, and Turkish investment in the autonomous region has risen by 60 per cent since 2016. Though Turkish efforts remain mainly in the economic sphere, the recent outreach from the state hasn’t gone unnoticed by Moscow - giving the region increased importance in the geopolitical competition between Russia and Turkey, and garnering Turkey leverage in Moldova too. Though the chances of conflict are low for now and are likely to remain low, with all of the outside interest in the region, Gagauzia makes for an interesting potential flashpoint for the future.

[Realite]

Gagauz means Oghuz, Oghuz tribes of Turks❤️ Greetings from Azerbaijan

[pault]

I’m a gagauzian and my parents moved from Komrat, the capital of Gagauzia, I can say that we definitely don’t want to go to Romania and are more inclined for independence. The reason why there is a Turkish cultured people in Moldavia is because they were being persecuted for being Christian at that time and fled Muslim Turkey. That’s just some history from a real gagauzian

[MsCristea]

I am one of those few citizens of Moldova who would actually accept granting independence to Găgăuzia and imposing a hard border with them. The compromise with that region is keeping the entire country from integrating into its natural cultural and economic space. Plus, they are a drain on our budget. Integrating them is too difficult and costs too much....

[kuvvaciapo]

OGUZ CANLARIMIZ HERYERDE KIMI SAMAN KIMI MUSLUMAN KIMI ORTADOX ♥ HEPIMIZ CANIZ🤘🤘🤘

[TurkbodndiLanguage]

Hello from japan 🇯🇵
We have a conversation with a Gagauz teacher on our channel, you can get interesting information. There is also a Gagauz Basic phrases video. We will be glad to see you. There are also subtitles in English.

[ЧитаДрита-шю]

Interesting to hear what’s happening there now.

[luxeffere]

Greetings to all Uz people from Turkey

[danielmaxter]

Why is Russia so preoccupied with dividing people so much?

[zagor]

Full support for gagauzia from serbia ❤🇷🇸

[seandowdsdowds]

How do you highlight areas on Google earth 🌎

[litoria]

Good but please loose the music, it was so annoying.

[PresAlexWhit]

You might want to make videos that are this small into clips so they get more views. Well when they're under 1 minute I mean. Not 3.

[xv]

The music a bit too loud imo. Hope this can be changed. Other than that, its quality info as always

[cosmincasuta]

Gagauzia is a region populted bai gagautzi!

[farright]

Moldovia should join Romania and if the Gaguzia wants to rebel then it shouldn't be given Romanian citizenship and they should be expelled to Russia

[thieph]

Gagauzs are gypsies from Mongolia, imbciles