The Head of OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Jennifer Brush, visited the autonomous territorial unit of Gagauzia, located in the south of the country, on 16 November 2012. She met with Mihail Formuzal, Governor of Gagauzia; Dmitri Konstantinov, the recently elected Speaker of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia; and Nikolai Dudoglo, the Mayor of Comrat, the unit’s administrative capital.

During the different meetings, Brush discussed issues related to recent political developments in Gagauzia, prospects for the development of Gagauz autonomy, relations between regional and central authorities and ways in which the OSCE could support Gagauzia’s development.

“This is my first official visit to Gagauzia since the local elections, and I am very happy to have open discussions with the Gagauz authorities. It is very important for OSCE representatives to visit different regions of Moldova and assess what the needs of the population are and where we can help through our various projects,” said Brush.

The autonomous territorial unit of Gagauzia was established in 1994 in order to protect and support the development of the Gagauz language and culture.