Stepan Topal
Encyclopedia
Stepan Mikhailovich Topal (Cyrillic: Степан Михайлович Топал) (born 1938) is a Gagauz
politician from Moldova
. From 1990 to 1995 he served as Governor (başkan) of Gagauzia
.
.
On 19 August 1990, ethnic Gagauz separatists proclaimed an autonomous republic in southern Moldova, around the city of Comrat
, and called it the Gagauz Republic
(Gagauz-Yeri in their language
). In September 1990, individuals representing the mostly Slavic inhabitants of the Dniester
River's east bank proclaimed a separate entity in Transnistria
with a capital at Tiraspol
.
In 1990, Topal became one of the leaders of the separatist movement in southern Moldova. On 31 October 1990, he was elected president of the Supreme Soviet of the self-proclaimed Gagauz SSR.
Although the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Moldova immediately declared these proclamations invalid, elections took place in both separatist republics. On 1 December 1991, Topal was elected president of the Gagauz Republic, and from 1991 to 1995 he headed the Supreme Soviet of the Gagauz Republic. That same month, Igor Smirnov
was elected president of Transnistria.
Topal supported greater unity among the former Soviet republics.
, in Article 111, which also provides for Transnistria's autonomy. Later, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
adopted an even broader law, which confers a special autonomous status on Gagauzia as of 23 December 1994.
After Gagauzia's autonomy was accepted by the Moldovan Parliament, the first round of elections for the post of Governor of Gagauzia took place on 25 May 1995, together with elections for the region's Popular Assembly. None of the four candidates for the governorship (Gheorghe Tabunşcic, Mihail Kendighelean
, Dumitru Croitor and Stepan Topal) won the votes needed to be elected in the first round. Topal had not even managed to advance to the second round.
From 1999 to 2002, Topal was the principal adviser to başkan Dumitru Croitor. In the 2001 Moldovan parliamentary election
, Topal ran for a seat from Comrat on the lists of the Edinstvo electoral bloc, but the alliance won less than the 5% of the vote needed to secure parliamentary seats, so Topal was not elected. In 2002, he was one of the founders of the social-political movement Za Gagauziu! (For Gagauzia), formed in opposition to the ruling Communists.
When snap elections for Governor of Gagauzia were held again on 6 October 2002, Topal ran again. However, the results were declared invalid, as only 41.43% of voters took part. When the election was repeated two weeks later, the local electoral commission barred Topal from running, citing irregularities in his filing papers.
Gagauz people
The Gagauz people are Turkic speaking group living mostly in southern Moldova , southwestern Ukraine , south-eastern Romania and northeastern Bulgaria. Unlike most other Turkic speaking people, the Gagauz are predominantly Orthodox Christians...
politician from Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
. From 1990 to 1995 he served as Governor (başkan) of Gagauzia
Governor of Gagauzia
- Governors of Gagauzia :-External links:*...
.
Leader of Gagauzia's separatist movement
By training, Topal is a road engineer. He was an activist of the Communist Party of MoldovaCommunist Party of Moldova
The Communist Party of Moldova was one of the fourteen republic-level parties that formed the Communist Party of the Soviet Union until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Indeed, the PCM was the republic-level chapter of the CPSU in the Moldavian SSR from 1940 to 1991...
.
On 19 August 1990, ethnic Gagauz separatists proclaimed an autonomous republic in southern Moldova, around the city of Comrat
Comrat
Comrat is a city in Moldova and the capital of the autonomous region of Gagauzia. It is located at , in the south of the country, on the Ialpug River. In 2004, Comrat's population was 23,429, of which the vast majority are Gagauzians.The name is of Turkic and Nogai origin...
, and called it the Gagauz Republic
Gagauzia
Gagauzia , formally known as the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Găgăuzia , is an autonomous region of...
(Gagauz-Yeri in their language
Gagauz language
The Gagauz language is a Turkic language, spoken by the Gagauz people, and the official language of Gagauzia, Moldova. There are two dialects, Bulgar Gagauzi and Maritime Gagauzi. This is a different language from Balkan Gagauz Turkish....
). In September 1990, individuals representing the mostly Slavic inhabitants of the Dniester
Dniester
The Dniester is a river in Eastern Europe. It runs through Ukraine and Moldova and separates most of Moldova's territory from the breakaway de facto state of Transnistria.-Names:...
River's east bank proclaimed a separate entity in Transnistria
Transnistria
Transnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
with a capital at Tiraspol
Tiraspol
Tiraspol is the second largest city in Moldova and is the capital and administrative centre of the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic . The city is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River...
.
In 1990, Topal became one of the leaders of the separatist movement in southern Moldova. On 31 October 1990, he was elected president of the Supreme Soviet of the self-proclaimed Gagauz SSR.
Although the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Moldova immediately declared these proclamations invalid, elections took place in both separatist republics. On 1 December 1991, Topal was elected president of the Gagauz Republic, and from 1991 to 1995 he headed the Supreme Soviet of the Gagauz Republic. That same month, Igor Smirnov
Igor Smirnov
Igor Nikolaevich Smirnov , is the President of the internationally unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic, also known as Transnistria. He has held this post since 1990.- Childhood :...
was elected president of Transnistria.
Topal supported greater unity among the former Soviet republics.
Political activity after 1995
Gagauz autonomy was enshrined in the July 1994 Constitution of MoldovaConstitution of Moldova (1994)
The Republic of Moldova Constitution of 1994 is the country's supreme law of the country since August 27, 1994.- History :It was adopted on July 29, 1994 by the Moldovan Parliament and published in Monitorul Oficial al R. Moldova, N1, July 18, 1994....
, in Article 111, which also provides for Transnistria's autonomy. Later, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova is a unicameral assembly with 101 seats. Its members are elected by popular vote every 4 years. The parliament then elects a president, who functions as the head of state...
adopted an even broader law, which confers a special autonomous status on Gagauzia as of 23 December 1994.
After Gagauzia's autonomy was accepted by the Moldovan Parliament, the first round of elections for the post of Governor of Gagauzia took place on 25 May 1995, together with elections for the region's Popular Assembly. None of the four candidates for the governorship (Gheorghe Tabunşcic, Mihail Kendighelean
Mihail Kendighelean
- Biography :He was born on October 4, 1941 in Congaz in the Gagauz Autonomous Territorial Unit.In 1990 he was head of the Gagauz Supreme Soviet and along with President Stepan Topal led the Gagauz areas in a declaration of independence from Moldova. Gagauzia was functionally independent from...
, Dumitru Croitor and Stepan Topal) won the votes needed to be elected in the first round. Topal had not even managed to advance to the second round.
From 1999 to 2002, Topal was the principal adviser to başkan Dumitru Croitor. In the 2001 Moldovan parliamentary election
Moldovan parliamentary election, 2001
Moldovan early parliamentary elections took place on February 25, 2001. Turnout was 67.52 percent.-Election outcome:The Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova won the election. Vladimir Voronin was elected president shortly thereafter by the newly elected parliament-Sources:*...
, Topal ran for a seat from Comrat on the lists of the Edinstvo electoral bloc, but the alliance won less than the 5% of the vote needed to secure parliamentary seats, so Topal was not elected. In 2002, he was one of the founders of the social-political movement Za Gagauziu! (For Gagauzia), formed in opposition to the ruling Communists.
When snap elections for Governor of Gagauzia were held again on 6 October 2002, Topal ran again. However, the results were declared invalid, as only 41.43% of voters took part. When the election was repeated two weeks later, the local electoral commission barred Topal from running, citing irregularities in his filing papers.