The head of the executive branch (Bashkan) of autonomous territorial education (ATO) Gagauzia as part of Moldova will be elected on Sunday, May 14 in the second round of voting.
The first round of elections of the leader of Gagauzia took place on April 30. None of the candidates based on the first round of voting was secured by the support of 50 percent of voters.
Power stations will be open from 07:00 to 21:00 local time.
According to the electoral legislation, Moldova, candidates for the Bashkans of Gagauzia should be over 35, live in Moldova and know the Gagauz language.
The current Bashkan Irina Vlakh was elected twice and therefore has no right to run for this post.
The elected head of Gagauzia will officially take office 30 days after the announcement of the final results from the CEC.
The leader from 26.43 percent of the vote following the results of the first round of voting was the supporter of the former President of Moldova Igor Dodon of the Socialist Party Grigory Uzun. Uzun ran for an independent candidate, but went to the elections with the symbols of the Socialist Party.
The second place was taken by the Schorian party, Evgeny Gutsul, gaining 26.41 percent of the vote.
Both went into the second round of voting, which will take place on May 14th.
Two candidates who did not go to the second round, on the other hand, are the leader of the People’s Union of Gagauzia, Viktor Petrov and independent candidate Sergei Chernev, said that they did not support any of the candidates. The other 4 candidates refrained from public statements.
The Central House of Moldova sent a letter to the CEC of the ATO Gagauzia last week that in the first round of the elections on April 30, violations were committed.
Police Department of Moldova also warned the CEC of Gagauzia about violations.
On the eve of May 12, in the capital of Gagauzia Komrat, a protest was held against the election results.
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.