OSCE to back activity of parliamentary working group for considering special status of Gagauzia

16:07 | 23.04.2015 Category: Official

Chisinau, 23 April /MOLDPRES/- OSCE will back the activity of the parliamentary working group for considering the special status of Gagauzia. OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors made statement to this effect at a today's meeting with Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu, the parliament's communication and media relations department has reported.

The talks were focused on importance of adopting the strategy on Moldovan national minorities' integration, elaborated with the OSCE support, as well as evolutions in Gagauzia.

The speaker said that, on the next days, a working group would be created, to consider the special status of Gagauzia in the context of the constitutional provisions. The parliamentary group will be made up of Moldovan and Gagauz MPs. Representatives of EU, OSCE, Council of Europe and civil society will be invited as observers. The working group's goal will be to ensure an institutional mechanism of permanent dialogue between Chisinau and Comrat and to settle current problems.

Candu said the Moldovan parliament was set to contribute to strengthening the functional capacities of the People's Assembly (local parliament) of Gagauzia.

"We will continuously and permanently transfer our expertise to the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, we will help you via different projects implemented with the support of our development partners. The Moldovan and Gagauz civil servants will cooperate whenever necessary in order to transfer the good practices," Candu said.

At the same time, Andrian Candu pointed out that, last week, the chairman of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia had participated for the first time as member of official parliamentary delegation in a meeting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Council.

For his part, Astrid Thors said that OSCE would further provide expertise and assistance to Moldova, for the efficient integration of the national minorities. The official welcomed the Moldovan authorities' efforts to work out the above-mentioned strategy and to launch the consultation process with civil society.

(Editor M. Jantovan)

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