Comrat challenges suspension of June 21 elections at Supreme Court; Chișinău reacts
The People's Assembly (PA) from Comrat has appealed to the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) against the Sud Court of Appeal's decision to suspend the election scheduled for June 21. The central authorities in Chisinau criticized the leaders of the autonomy for seeking exceptions and violating the provisions of the Electoral Code.
In an appeal filed with the Supreme Court of Justice, the People's Assembly argues that the Sud Court of Appeal's decision to annul the organization of elections scheduled for June 21 is “arbitrary,” as it was made without considering the real consequences of obstructing the electoral process.
As a result, the People's Assembly has requested that the Supreme Court of Justice overturn the appeal decision and deny the suspension request put forth by the Comrat Territorial Office of the State Chancellery. Local deputies from the autonomy are urging Chisinau to engage in dialogue.
“The law on the special legal status of Gagauzia is national legislation and stipulates that the central electoral commission, not an electoral council, operates within the autonomy. Therefore, the issue is not as simple as determining who is in violation. I propose that we seek a compromise instead of focusing on who is right or wrong, so that all parties can be satisfied,” stated Alexandr Tarnavschi, a deputy in the People’s Assembly, during an interview with Moldova 1 TV.
Conversely, the Parliament Speaker in Chisinau, Igor Grosu, asserts that the autonomy's authorities are insisting on violating the Electoral Code.
“They are attempting to maintain a stance that contradicts the Electoral Code. We provided an additional year for our colleagues from Gagauz autonomy, as the Electoral Code for this region came into effect one year later than in the rest of the country. In hindsight, I believe it was a mistake to create exceptions. When exceptions become too common, they can turn into the norm, which can lead to abuse,” Grosu commented.
The mandate of the Gagauz legislature expired in November 2025, and the elections could not be organized on time. Subsequently, both proposed dates for the vote—March 22 and June 21—were cancelled by court decisions, as they did not comply with the provisions of the new Electoral Code.
