IIP Project Assistant Patrick McGrath spoke with Samuel Goda of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA) on the current political situation in the autonomous territory of Gagauzia in Moldova. Goda discusses Gagauzia's relations to Chisinau, the most significant challenges for the region's development, and the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The conversation also covers Moldova's minorities policies, language disputes in the region, and the potential role for civil society and young people. Goda analyzes the role of external actors, including Russia, the EU, and Turkey, and the consequences of the 2014 referendum. Finally, he compares the different experiences of Gagauzia and Transnistria since Moldovan independence nearly 30 years ago.

Samuel Goda is a Project Manager and Researcher at the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA) and Assistant Professor and Vice-Dean for Development at the University of Economics, Bratislava.