alegeri.md

General Information on Elections to the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia

The first elections to the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia took place in two rounds on May 28 and June 11, 1995, after the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova adopted on December 23, 1994, the Law No. 344-XIII concerning the special status of Gagauzia (Gagauz Yeri), which introduced the uninominal election system, the method of creating electoral districts, the periodicity of elections, and the special registration requirements of candidates.

Next ordinary elections were held in two rounds on August 22 and September 5, 1999 under an updated legal framework, after the local law concerning the election of members of the People’s Assembly (Halk Toplusu) of Gagauzia (Gagauz Yeri) was adopted on January 15, 1998 and the Regulation of Gagauzia on May 14, 1998. Until then, the People’s Assembly and the Governor (Bascan) of Gagauzia were elected concomitantly. The elections were separated after the political crisis in January-February 2002 between the administration of the Gagauz autonomy and the central authorities of the Republic of Moldova. Due to this, the 2002 Governor elections were anticipated, while the elections to the People’s Assembly held on November 16 and 30, 2003 were ordinary. Further, all elections to the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia were ordinary, but because of conflicts between local leading institutions, the time for holding elections have never been respected. Thus, next ordinary elections were organised on March 16, 2008, and current elections were set for September 9, 2012.

Following are the key regulations of the local election law concerning the election of members of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia:

• The People’s Assembly shall be elected not later than three months after the end of previous mandate of the People’s Assembly;
• The right to designate candidates belongs to:
  • parties and other social-political organisations, in accordance with their statutes and related legislation;
  • Electoral blocs registered with the Central Election Commission;
  • Citizens of the Republic of Moldova residing Gagauzia who propose themselves as candidates (supported by a certain number of voters).
• Parties and other social-political organisations have the right to designate only one candidate for each electoral district. A candidate shall not run for elections in different districts.

Status of People’s Assembly of Gagauzia

The People’s Assembly is the representative and legislative authority of the autonomy charged with:

• Adopting normative regulations in pre-established areas, which execution is mandatory in UTA Gagauzia;
• Settling matters related to the territorial organisation of Gagauzia, establishing and modifying the category of localities, borders of districts, cities and villages, their names;
• Participating in promotion of domestic and foreign policy of the Republic of Moldova in issues related to interests of Gagauzia;
• Establishing the way the local public administration authorities of Gagauzia and citizen associations are organised and work, except for parties and other social-political organisations;
• Setting the date, organising and holding elections to the People’s Assembly and approving members of the Central Election Commission, responsible for holding elections; setting the date of elections for local public administration authorities of Gagauzia;
• Exercising the right of legislative initiative in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova etc.