The Central Election Commission of Autonomous Territorial Education (ATO) Gagauzia in Moldova approved the final results of the first round of the election of the head of the region.
The second round of voting is scheduled for May 14.
The winners of the first round of elections held on Sunday are named a candidate from the opposition party of socialists of the Republic of Moldova Grigory Uzun and the representative of the Schor Party Evgeny Gutsul.
So, 26.47 percent of voters voted for the candidacy of Evgenia Gutsul. Her opponent Grigory Uzun, in turn, gained 26.4 percent of votes.
On Sunday, April 30, the elections of the head of the executive branch (Bashkan) of the ATO Gagauzia in Moldova.
None of the candidates, following the results of the first round of voting, was secured by the support of 50 percent of voters.
The progress of voting in Gagauzia was observed by 21 local and 75 international observers, including from the EU, Turkey, Azerbaijan, the USA, Ukraine and the UK.
The voter turnout amounted to 57.8 percent of 92,516 residents who have the right to vote.
In accordance with the electoral code, the current Bashkan Irina Vlakh was elected twice and has no right to run for this post.
In the Gagauz ATO with a population of about 120 thousand people, they also speak Gagauz, which belongs to the Oguz group of Turkic languages.
Gagauzes received the right to autonomy in 1994 with the active support of Turkey. Most of the population of the ATO Gagauzia professes Orthodoxy.
Gagauzes are an important link in relations between Turkey and Moldova, which have reached the level of strategic partnership.