In Gagauzia, in a matter of hours, 3,000 signatures were collected in support of the opening of a consulate of Russia in the autonomy. This was announced on Thursday at a press conference in Infotag, said the head of the initiative group Alexandr Rotari.

“Many residents of Gagauzia have Russian citizenship, go to this country to earn money, get families there, and do business. We are bound with Russia by many threads. However, the emerging problems with documents and passports can still be solved only in Chisinau. It is a long way from the southern regions of Gagauzia, especially for those who live in the village,” Rotari noted.

The activist also stressed that “the collection of signatures took place in an atmosphere of positive attitude towards the initiative.”

“I was also pleased with the attitude of the authorities. Nobody tried to prevent the collection of signatures under the appeal to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Only the weather let down,” Rotari emphasized.

At the second stage, the collection of signatures will be transferred to a "stationary" mode, that is, points will be opened in Comrat, Ceadir-Lunga and Vulcanesti, and volunteers will go to large villages such as Copceac and Gaidar.

Rotari stated that “the initiative to collect signatures is not associated with any of the parties, and has nothing to do with the electoral process that started the day before in the autonomy.”