A nationwide rally for the preservation of Gagauz autonomy was held in Comrat.

Participants in a rally in Comrat, the capital of the Gagauz Autonomous Region (ATO), organized by local authorities, spoke out in favor of maintaining the autonomous status, as well as against Chisinau's policy of severing relations with Moscow. Footage from the scene of the June 7 events is published by Izvestia.

As Dmitry Konstantinov, Chairman of the National Assembly of Gagauzia (NSG), noted, Gagauzia's relations with the Chisinau authorities are currently "at zero, or even worse."

"We would like to consult with people on how to proceed. Today, we wanted the common people, the common people, to come forward. There are a lot of people around Comrat. The police are working in full force against people coming to the rally. This is probably what "European democracy" is," he told the Izvestia correspondent.

Residents who came to the event complained about the "big mess" on the part of the current Moldovan authorities, who literally hate the Gagauz people. Roman Tyutin, ex-deputy of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, added that the situation is at its limit. The repressions against the Gagauz people are not ending, given that the head of the autonomy, Yevgenia Hutsul, is currently under arrest. Although the Gagauz people are not "separatists," they are citizens of the country, he noted.

"Today Gagauzia protects the rights not only of its own, but also of all citizens of the Republic of Moldova. We must ensure that we live in a state of social well-being, where the police, the president, and the parliament protect the interests of their country's citizens," said Yuri Kuznetsov, Deputy head of the Department for External Relations.

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The head of Gagauzia may be dismissed from office.

On May 20, Hutsul, who was under arrest, declared her readiness to continue fighting for the rights of autonomy after a court hearing. According to her, the purpose of the trial is "to eliminate an inconvenient bashkan (the highest official in Gagauzia).

On March 25, Hutsul was detained at the Chisinau airport. Her name was found on the list of persons who are prohibited from leaving the country. Later, the head of Gagauzia was arrested for 20 days, and on April 9, the court replaced her measure of restraint with house arrest. Then, on May 12, the court extended Hutsul's house arrest for another 30 days. Her lawyer, Sergei Moraru, called such a decision unjustified. According to the lawyer, Hutsul may remain under house arrest until March 2026. Her defense, in turn, challenged the extension of house arrest.