MOSCOW. March 24 (Interfax) - The results of recent elections in Gagauzia indicate that this autonomous region of Moldova wants to further promote its relations with Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its website on Tuesday.
"The outcome of the elections in Gagauzia confirms that a considerable number of voters in this autonomous region spoke out in favor of further developing their traditionally close ties with the Russian Federation," the ministry said.
"This circumstance is creating a solid foundation for the further development of interregional and historically close ties between Russia and this region in the economy, social issues, culture, education and other areas," it said.
Irina Vlah won the governor election in Gagauzia with over 51.01% of votes cast on March 22.
Vlah was backed by the Moldovan Party of Socialists, which won 57% of the vote in Moldova's parliamentary election on November 30, 2014 and today holds 25 out of 101 seats in the Moldovan parliament.
Gagauzia, an autonomous region in the south of Moldova, has been traditionally advocating stronger ties with Russia, while Chisinau has been pursing a European integration policy. A referendum was held in Gagauzia in February 2014 to decide Moldova's foreign policy. More than 98% of the voters said Moldova should become integrated with the Customs Union, formed by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Chisinau did not recognize the outcome of the referendum.
Gagauzia has a population of about 150,000, 82% of whom are Gagauz, the only Turkic ethnic group in Europe professing the Orthodox Christian religion, 5% are Bulgarians, 5% Moldovans, 3.8% Russians, and 3.2% Ukrainians.The Moldovan parliament ruled in December 1994 to set up an autonomous Gagauz region with a special legal status.
The governor of the Gagauzia autonomous region is a member of the Moldovan government by law.