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Moldova and Gagauz Autonomy head agree to reset relations

"We are ending all political battles and getting down to cooperation," the speaker of Moldovan parliament said after his first meeting with Irina Vlah, the winner of the recent elections in Gagauzia

CHISINAU, April 1 /TASS/. The authorities in the Republic of Moldova and the Gagauz Autonomy, a national territorial autonomous unit which is an integral part of Moldova, have agreed to reset their relations, the speaker of Moldovan parliament, Andrian Kandu, said on Wednesday after his first meeting with Irina Vlah, the winner of the recent elections in Gagauzia.

"We are ending all political battles and getting down to cooperation. The first step is to create a working group consisting of Moldovan MPs and deputies of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia to resolve urgent problems," Kandu said adding he had offered Vlah a number of projects aimed at regional development that the European Union has promised to support.

Irina Vlah said that she and Kandu had agreed to set up a special inter-parliamentary commission that would bring Moldova’s legislation in line with the Law on special legal status of Gagauzia.

According to Vlah, the deputies of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia have submitted a proposal to Moldovan parliament to amend Moldova’s Law on budget and the budget process so that Gagauzia could receive 5% of financial resources which the Moldovan government allocates for capital investments.

"The deputies proceeded from the fact that the population of Gagauzia makes up 5% of Moldova’s population," Vlah explained. She also stressed the need to preserve the Gagauz language and identity. She urged the Moldovan authorities to allocate more funds for these purposes.

Independent candidate Irina Vlah was elected the head of the Gagauz Autonomy by the majority of votes at elections held on March 22. The Gagauz Autonomy has traditionally wanted to develop closer ties with Russia.