site.btaTaraclia Hosts Project to Boost State-Minority Dialogue

The Agency for Interethnic Relations (AIR) under the Government of Moldova presented in Taraclia the project “MINOR+ Platform for Intergroup Participation and Consultative Interaction.” The initiative is implemented jointly with the Centre for Civil Initiatives for National Minorities public association and covers the southern regions of the country, including Gagauzia, the Agency said on Friday.

The project will establish formal structures in which representatives of national minorities and the authorities can directly discuss important issues and make joint decisions. It provides for the creation of ten local councils, two regional councils, and one national council under the AIR, as well as the development of action plans for the districts for the period 2026-2030.

The Agency Director Vyacheslav Ryabchinsky said that the MINOR+ project changes the approach to interaction between the state and national minorities by creating conditions for a more inclusive democracy, which is particularly important in the context of Moldova’s EU accession process.

The initiative takes into account recommendations from international organisations and aims to strengthen social cohesion, as well as prevent isolation and marginalisation of national minorities, the Agency stressed.

In Taraclia, the project is seen as an opportunity to increase local residents’ participation in decision-making, improve transparency in the work of the authorities, and bring dialogue standards closer to European ones. In addition to the project, the sides discussed joint preparations for the upcoming Ethnocultural Festival in the city on September 20, the regional administration added.

According to 2024 census data, ethnic minorities make up 14% of the population of Moldova. The largest groups among them are Ukrainians (4.9%), Gagauzians (4.2%), Russians (3.2%), Bulgarians (1.6%), and Roma (0.4%).