GAGAUZIA BASHKAN SAYS GAGAUZ RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO USE BANK CARDS OF RUSSIAN "MIR" SYSTEM

Bashkan of the Gagauz autonomy Evghenia Gutul said that Gagauz residents will be able to use bank cards of the Russian "Mir" (World) system. Russian media reported that she said this after signing a cooperation agreement with the head of Russia's Promsvyazbank, Petr Fradkov. The meeting in Moscow on Tuesday was also attended by the chairman of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, Dmitrii Constantinov.

Russian news agency RBC writes that the signed agreement "will provide additional funding for budgetary employees and pensioners in Gagauzia."

"In addition, the agreement stipulates that relatives of Gagauz residents who live in Russia will receive additional special services at a separate tariff," the publication writes, noting that "accounts for Gagauz residents are planned to be opened remotely."

"In Moldova, citizens live in extreme poverty. In order to improve the life of Gagauz residents, we have asked that the management of Promsvyazbank provide Gagauzia with humanitarian aid, i.e. additional funding from our friends who want to help us. (...) We want that no later than May 1, pensioners and budgetary employees of Gagauzia could get what they deserve. And they deserve a better life," Gutul told Russian media.

According to her, about 20,000 pensioners and about 5,000 state employees will be able to use the aid.

"Financial transactions with Russia and sponsorship for the residents of the autonomy are blocked by the Moldovan government. Through the system "Mir" pensioners and state employees will be able to receive supplements to pensions and salaries," Gutul stressed.

She also wrote in social networks that "access to the Russian payment infrastructure will allow to overcome the economic blockade arranged by Chisianu and bring funds to finance social, infrastructural and economic projects in the autonomy."

The chairman of Promsvyazbank, Petr Fradkov, said that the signed agreement provides for the possibility to make cross-border payments, as well as for "opening a humanitarian fund." Non-profit organizations, among others, can invest in this fund.

The Russian banking system "Mir" has been under U.S. sanctions since February 23, 2024. Even before that, most countries refused to work with this system, and after the sanctions were imposed, partner banks in other countries announced their refusal to work with “Mir” cards.