History of Gagauzia

This Oghuz Turk clan converted from Islam to Orthodox Christianity after settling in the Eastern Balkans (nowadays in Bulgaria) and were called Gagauz people.

Between 1812 and 1846, Russians settled the Gagauz people from what is nowadays eastern Bulgaria (which remained under Ottoman Empire) to the orthodox Bessarabia, mainly in the settlements vacated by the Nogai tribes.

[2] Gagauz nationalism remained an intellectual movement during the 1980s, but strengthened by the end of the decade, as the Soviet Union began to embrace democratic ideals.

A year later, the "Gagauz People" held its first assembly in which a resolution was passed to demand the creation an autonomous territory in southern Moldova, with the city of Comrat as its capital.

A part of the multi-ethnic population of southern Moldova regarded this decision with concern, precipitating a lack of confidence in the central government in Chişinău.

[citation needed] Many Gagauz supported the Moscow coup attempt in August 1991, and in September, Transnistria declared itself independent, thus further straining relations with Chişinău.

Many European human rights organizations recognize and promote Gagauzia as a successful model for resolving ethnic conflicts.

The central authorities of Moldova proved unwilling to accept the results initiating a lengthy stand-off between the autonomy and Chişinău.