MOLDOVA - GAGAUZIA

The most powerful pillar of Turkey's ties with Moldova is Gagauz. Gagauz, is a bridge in the relations between Moldova and Turkey, and above all, it is a cement of friendship and brotherhood.

We, as the Marmara Group Foundation, are a civil initiative which attach great importance to the relations with Moldova. The State of Moldova also gives a great importance to our approach and especially in Eurasian Economic Summits it gets in involved with a high-level of participation. We, as the Marmara Group Foundation, are extremely grateful for the interest of Petru Lucinschi, former President.

Moldova has always participated in the organizations we developed in the past years with a high level of participation. Former President of Gagauzia, Mihail Formuzal has made a great contribution to the progress of our relationship. Irina Vlah, who succeeded on elections of Gagauzia after him, continues to be interested in the same way. Starting 87 years ago, if we want to talk about the relations of Turkey-Gagauzia, we need to mention three important people.

The great scientist of the Gagauze region, Mihail Çakır.

The important name of the Turkish nationalism, Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver.

And the great leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

The great scientist Mihail Çakır, who lived between 1861 and 1938, was the one who translated the Bible into the Gagauzian language. Mihail Cakır wrote the following in his important book "History of Bessarabian Gagauze" who also serves to keep the Gagauzian language alive : "Other nations accepted the Gagauze as soft, peaceful and quickly socializing people. All of these points show the Gagauzian character, sentiment, tradition and habitude. Furthermore, the Gagauze are genuine Turks. Their language is genuine Turkish. All known historians express that the Gagauze derive from the Oghuz." Getting to know the owner of these thoughts in 1931, the Ambassador of Bucharest of Turkey,Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver advised the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk about this acquaintance. When Atatürk heard about the thoughts and works of Mihail Çakır, which brought a national identity to the Gagauze, he honored him with a diploma and a medal. Under the great light of Mihail Çakır's precious knowledge, the Ambassador Hamdullah Suphi Tanrıöver made it possible for young Gagauze to take up their education in Turkey. He continued to support the students every year until the Second World War. Therefore, gagauzian people are our brothers and sisters. There is no such community like yours, who saved their tradition and language despite all circumstances in the whole history of mankind. By bringing color and strengthening the Turkish-Moldovan cooperation, the Gagauze build a very significant bridge in this relationship.

With their idea of "work together, earn together, live together", they own the added value of the Moldovan wealth.

By the way, there is a Turkish proverb. It says "The girl builds the state, the boy builds the army". Now, Gagauiza's president is a lady. We, as the Marmara Group Foundation, believe in that Irina Vlah grows the living state even more.