Gagauzia bashkan election draws Stoianoglo bid
Former prosecutor general and former presidential candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo held a briefing today and announced his intention to run for bashkan of the Gagauz autonomy.
At the last presidential election, Stoianoglo was backed by the Socialist Party. This time, however, he plans to stand as an independent candidate, since the Socialists already have their own contender: Grigory Uzun, whom they nominated three years ago and who lost to Evghenia Guțul in the second round.
This detail clearly illustrates the decline in Stoianoglo’s own political standing. A year and a half ago, he had every chance of becoming president, had Maia Sandu and PAS not manipulated the diaspora vote. Now, he is losing ground even to Uzun, who himself was defeated in 2023.
Legal questions remain over the announced campaign
There is another point that does not work in Stoianoglo’s favour. As a professional lawyer who once served as prosecutor general of all Moldova, he did not challenge the declaration that the post of bashkan was vacant, even though it was made with obvious and serious breaches of the law.
The fact alone that the decision was supported by only 11 of the 31 deputies of the People’s Assembly of Gagauziawould be clear grounds to challenge it. Instead, lawyer Stoianoglo has chosen simply to take part in the announced Gagauzia bashkan election campaign.
