Romanian language teacher Sorina Stoianova during a class in Vulcanesti town in Gagauzia on November 14, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Language teacher Sorina Stoianova has found herself at the forefront of Moldova’s efforts to counter Russian influence in its rebel Gagauzia region, which borders Ukraine.

Already threatened by pro-Russian separatists in breakaway Transnistria — which last month appealed to Moscow for “protection” — Moldova’s pro-EU government is trying to reach out to Gagauzians in the south with free classes in Romanian, the country’s official language.

The tiny Turkic minority, who are Orthodox Christians, briefly declared themselves independent after the fall of communism.

Although their native language is close to Turkish, most of the 1,35,000 Gagauz now speak Russian.

‘Destabilisation efforts’

And Yevgenia Gutsul, the governor of their autonomous region makes no bones about her ties to Moscow.

Last week, Ms. Gutsul travelled to Russia to ask its President Vladimir Putin for his “support” in the face of alleged “destabilisation by the Moldovan authorities”.

In such a battle for hearts and minds, Moldova believes helping people learn Romanian is key to countering Russian-language “propaganda”.

“They (the Gagauz) want to learn the language,” Ms. Stoianova said as she wrapped up the day’s lesson for about 20 adults in the town of Vulcanesti.

Some 13,000 people applied for the 5,000 places on the free courses this year, up from 6,500 last year. Gagauzia had the highest number of applicants after the capital Chisinau. One of Ms. Stoianova’s students, Ivan Gaidarji, said the classes were needed as the former Soviet republic looks to join the EU.

EU membership

Brussels agreed late last year to open membership talks with the nation of 2.6 million people that lies between EU member Romania and war-torn Ukraine.

“We must study to perfect our knowledge and be able to continue working,” the 46-year-old civil servant said. Another student wanted to be able to help her grandchildren with their homework, according to Ms. Stoianova.

Unlike the self-proclaimed republic of Transnistria, Gagauzia renounced its hopes for independence in 1994 in exchange for being autonomous. But its Soviet legacy is omnipresent, with statues of Lenin and hammer and sickle emblems still dotting the region.

Moldova’s President Maia Sandu “is making real efforts to improve relations with Gagauzia, to win the hearts and minds of its people”, according Wilder Alejandro Sanchez, a Moldovan expert at the Washington-based Second Floor Strategies. Besides the language classes, the government is also upping investment in the region, including a new road to connect Chisinau with southern Moldova, including Gagauzia.

‘Preserving identity’

But he said that it would “take years and years, maybe decades, to change the beliefs of the population” and convince them that “efforts to join the EU will not destroy their identity”.

Moldovan authorities have repeatedly accused Russia of trying to destabilise the country.

An intelligence services report recently warned of “anti-Chisinau and anti-Brussels rhetoric” in the run-up to the presidential election and a referendum on EU accession later this year.

‘No to Europe’

Some 98% of Gagauz voted to join the Russia-Belarus-Kazakhstan customs union and said “no” to joining the EU in two local plebiscites in 2014 that were declared unconstitutional. A decade on, Chisinau hopes mentalities are changing.

“We are working with the young people,” Ms. Sandu said last year, adding the population “has been listening too much to Russian propaganda”.

“We need to better protect people from the propaganda and from the disinformation,” she added.

A file photo of France’s President Emmanuel Macron
| Photo Credit: Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron and Moldovan leader Maia Sandu will sign a defence co-operation agreement in Paris on Thursday, his office said, as tensions mount between Chisinau and pro-Russian separatists.

Their meeting in the French capital will take place after pro-Russian officials in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria last week appealed to Russia for “protection”. There is mounting concern that the territory could become a new flashpoint in Moscow’s two-year war against Ukraine.

Mr. Macron and Ms. Sandu will discuss the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in “all areas”, the Elysee Palace said on Wednesday.

“A defence cooperation agreement and a roadmap for economic cooperation will be signed during the visit,” a statement from Mr. Macron’s office said, without providing further details.

Macron’s shock move

Last week Mr. Macron triggered a shockwave in Europe by refusing to rule out the dispatch of Western ground troops to Ukraine.

The French Foreign Ministry has said that Russia is “very likely” behind destabilisation attempts in Moldova.

Moldova, which borders Ukraine and EU member Romania, is seeking to join the European Union and has obtained EU candidate status. Ms. Sandu has accused Russia of plotting to overthrow her government.

France’s efforts to reinforce ties with ex-Soviet nations are keenly watched in Moscow.

Pro-Russian officials in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria had appealed to Russia for “protection”