Roundtable at OSCE Mission in Moldova engages Gagauz civil society in public discussion

As part of its three-year project to support the engagement of Gagauz minority youth and civil society in public discussions and public service, a roundtable was held at the OSCE Mission to Moldova on 10 June 2015.

At the event, independent researchers from the NGO Piligrim-Demo, which is based in Comrat,  Gagauzia (Gagauz-Yeri), presented their report on the implementation of the Law on the Special Legal Status of Gagauzia, which  explores some of the legal framework challenges facing Chisinau and Comrat in the implementation of Gagauzia as an Autonomous Territorial Unit.

Some 25 representatives from the Moldovan Parliament, the Gagauz People’s Assembly, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the international community took part in the discussions that followed.

“We welcome the contribution of civil society researchers to the discussion and their interest in this issue,” said Ambassador Michael Scanlan, Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova. “We believe that it is important to generate dialogue and public engagement on these issues, in particular among young people and civil society, and hope that all involved have benefited from today’s exchange of views.”

Participants from Comrat and Chisinau welcomed the fact that a representative of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities participated in the roundtable discussion.