Research Information System
The 11th International Conference on Eurasian Politics and Society, CESRAN International, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and Autónoma University of Lisbon, Venice, Italy, 1 - 03 October 2024, (Unpublished)
Since their presence in Europe,
Gagauzian Turks have been struggling for their freedom and identity. Both their
Turkish origin and Orthodox Christian faith had become matter of conflict and
survival against their neighbours and the regional states or empires till the
end of the Cold War. Collapse of the USSR and three-year independence have
created happy days, yet Gagauzian Turks had no choice but becoming an
autonomous region with special privileges under Moldavian state. Today, the
Gagauzian region stuck between three-fold influence, namely Russia, Moldavia
and Turkiye. All three capitals want their policies and political as well as
cultural agenda to be supported. Speaking an Altaic version of Turkish, worshipping
in Orthodox way of Christianity, these people face a struggle for survival and
preserving their identity as well. The Turkish background makes the relations
with Turkiye based on culture and this increased Turkish cultural presence and
institutionalisation in recent years. Moldovan and Russian authorities,
however, care more about their level of political and economic control over the
Gagauz.
This paper aims to understand the
limits of freedom and identity of the Gagauzian Turks while feeling stuck in
this triangled relationship. This becomes more critical especially when the
youth of the Gagauz feel more tense for being forced to act either side of the
conflict. The European identity, values, and way of life, on the other hand
bring in another difficulty in this scene. To examine all these, our paper
starts with a historical background of Gagauzian land. After giving some
details of Turkish and Christian cultural identity, our paper evaluates current
conditions of these identities. Following this, we talk about current relations
with Moldavian government as well as Russian and Turkish governments. This will
be an attempt of a better understanding for the problematic relationship in
regards of politics and culture. After giving more details on current problems
of Gagauzian Turks, this paper ends with an overall evaluation and an
optimistic projection for both life and freedom of Gagauzian Turks. Leading to
new researches and bringing in more focus on Gagauzian Turks will be an asset hopefully
for the writer of this paper.
Key Words: Gagauzian Turks, Orthodox
Christianity, identity, freedom, geopolitics, European values.