In Moldova’s Gagauzia, loyalty leans toward Moscow rather than Brussels

Friday 26 September 2025 - 08:30

By: Sahili Aya

In the autonomous province of Gagauzia, in southern Moldova, residents continue to look east toward Moscow rather than west toward Brussels. Just two hours by car from Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, Comrat—the administrative center of the region—reveals a community that remains deeply attached to Russia despite visible European investments, such as road infrastructure partly funded by the EU.

As the country prepares for legislative elections overshadowed by concerns of Russian interference, Gagauzia’s pro-Russian sentiment is hard to ignore. Statues of Lenin still stand in central squares, and the local press leans heavily on Russian outlets such as the regional edition of Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Irina Vlah, former pro-Russian governor of Gagauzia and leader of the Heart of Moldova party, continues to play a central role in mobilizing the 135,000 Gagauz inhabitants. Many locals express frustration toward Chisinau’s central government, accusing it of neglect while seeing Moscow as a more reliable partner.

This loyalty highlights Moldova’s fragile balance between European integration and Russian influence, a tension increasingly visible as geopolitical pressures mount ahead of the elections.