APG approves new members of the Comrat Electoral Commission
On December 16, the People's Assembly of Gagauzia (APG) approved a new composition for the Permanent Electoral Commission in Comrat. This decision came after several members of the reconstituted electoral body submitted their resignations. The newly formed commission will begin preparing for the elections to the autonomy's legislature, scheduled for March 22, 2026, IPN reports.
The new appointments follow the resignations of the former head of the commission, Iana Covalenco, secretary Elena Ghiumiusliu, and members Valentina Deli and Igor Croitor.
The People's Assembly appointed Piotr Zaharia as a core member and Anna Dvornicova as an alternate member. The Executive Committee appointed Victor Bulgar and Elena Dimitroglo, while Gheorghi Sult was delegated by the courts.
During the same meeting, the candidates took an oath, committing to exercise their powers "honestly, conscientiously, and without political involvement."
In the upcoming period, the Electoral Commission is expected to meet to elect its leadership and draft the budget necessary for organizing the elections scheduled for March 22.
The situation regarding the organization of elections for the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, the legislative body of the autonomy, was tense throughout 2025 due to several institutional and legal blockages. The mandate of the current People's Assembly expired on November 16, 2025, but the elections could not be held on time.
One of the main reasons for this delay was the absence of a functional Electoral Commission. In December 2023, the People's Assembly dissolved the permanent Electoral Commission, but the courts later declared the decision illegal. The Comrat Court of Appeal overturned the dissolution in 2024, and the Supreme Court of Justice confirmed its illegality in November 2025.
The situation was resolved at the end of November 2025 after the resignation of Dmitri Constantinov, the former President of the People's Assembly, and the Supreme Court of Justice's decision to reinstate the Permanent Electoral Commission. Subsequently, the Comrat deputies set the election date for March 22, 2026, with a potential second round on April 5.
