While Gagauz people
had lived particularly in Dobruca and in various regions of the Balkan Peninsula before,
they left their ancient homeland upon the Bulgarian pressures and the Russian
encouragement pursuant to the Ottoman-Russian wars that periodically continued during the
century XVIII. Then, they tried to immigrate to the internal regions of Moldavia. In this
migration, Moldavia Boyar people had helped to Gagauz people from some aspects.
Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that the Kucuk Kaynarca Agreement concluded in
1774 had a significant effect in these migrations.
The Gagauz people that
were modest and generous people devoted to their works founded two villages named as Çadır
and Orak in Moldavia in the year of 1770. As a result of Bucharest Agreement concluded in
the year of 1812, Tatar people were forced to evacuate Bucak. Then, Gagauz people settled
in Bucak upon the encouragement of the Russians and the land of 50 Desetina (Are) awarded
to each Christian notable person in the land. In 1818, Gagauz people from Çadır founded
the village of "Çadır-Lunga" and the Gagauz people from Orak founded the
village of "Avdarma". The number of the Gagauz immigrants that came there in the
later periods increased in parallel. Gagauz people who lived under the Russian and
Romanian dominion for nearly a century rebelled against both the Russians and Moldavians
under the leadership of Atmaca Pavli's Son, Andre'i Galatan in order to protect their
national cultures and identities in January 1906. They declared the republic in Komrat.
However, the soldiers of the Russian Tsardom tried to suppress this movement and the
Russian soldiers entered Komrat. They made the people to gather in front of Sobor and
kneel down. They were subject to various tortures and thus, this movement of independence
was suppressed. The Komrat Republic survived for a short period of two weeks. Today, this
movement is symbolised in the flag of Gagauz people with a star.
In the years of
1909-1910, some of Gagauz people immigrated to the Central Asia due to the cost of living
and settled in the region of Turgay, then some of Gagauz people immigrated again to the
Central Asia in the year of 1925 and settled in the surroundings of Tashkent.
The region of
Bessarabia that often changed hands between the Russians and Romanians was connected to
Russia as a result of Paris agreement concluded on the date of 10th February 1947.
Finally, this region took its fair place in history under the title of Moldavia SS
Republic.
The foundation
of Moldavia SS Republic caused Gagauz people to get divided into two regions casually. As
a consequence, 80% of Gagauz population remained in Moldavia while the rest 20% remained
in Ukraine. Therefore, the Gagauz people who lived in Bucak region were divided into two
groups.
Taking the
advantage of the environment of national activities that were revived within the Soviet
Union in 1980s, the Gagauz people founded a society named as Gagauz People's Organisation
in the year of 1937. This movement constituted the base for the Gagauz autonomy on the
date of 12th November 1989. Gagauz National Assembly was established on the date of 31st
October 1990 and Stefan Topal was elected as the President.
In the middle of
the year 1994, the Moldavia Republic took the resolution upon the transfer of the
administrative power of Gagauzia to the Gagauz people. The draft law arranged within this
framework upon the special status of Gagauz's Place was adopted on the date of 23rd
December 1994 (No: 344-XIII).
According to the
relevant law, Gagauz people were granted with the right to issue laws about various issues
providing not to be in contradiction with the Moldovian Constitution. According to the
same law, the highest rank in Gagauz's Place is the presidency. All the competent
authorities in Gagauz's Place are connected to the President. The official languages of
Gagauz's Place are Gagauz, Moldavian and Russian languages. The capital city of Gagauz's
Place is Komrat.
As per this law,
Gagauz people were granted with the right of self-determination. According to this law
that grants the Gagauz people a special status, the National Assembly was authorised to
issue laws in the fields of culture, science, education, housing, municipal services,
health, sport, budget, ecology, finance and economy providing not to be in contradiction
with the Moldavian Constitution. A referendum was carried out with the purpose of the
determination of the borders of the Autonomous Republic of Gagauz's Place on the date of
5th March 1995. As a result of this referendum, it was determined that totally 31 centres
of population composed of 3 cities and 29 villages were in the favour of connection to
Gagauz's Place.
As a result of
the referendum carried out on the date of 5th March 1995, the centres of population that
were connected to Gagauz's place were as follows:
Cities: Komrat, Çadır-Lunga, and Vulkaneşti.
Villages:
Alekseevka, Avdarma, Baurçi, Beşalma, Beşgöz, Budjak, Karabalia, Kazayak, Çokmeydan,
Çeşmeköy, Köselia Ruse, Kiriet Lunga, Kirsovo, Kongaz, Kongazcikul de Jos, Kongazcikul
de Sus, Kıpçak, Kotovskoe, Dezgindja, Duduleşti, Etulia, Etulia Noue, Ferepontevka,
Gaydar, Joltay and Tomay.
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