Moldova Holds Election Recount

A Moldovan court has agreed to an election recount at the request of winning presidential candidate, Vladimir Voronin. The opposition, however, is calling for a new poll.
Lawmakers in Moldova have agreed to President Vladimir Voronin's request to
stage a recount of last week's elections.

[Dumitru Pulbere, Chair, Moldova Constitutional Court]:
"The Constitutional Court of Moldova hereby orders the Central
Election Commission to recount within nine days all ballots cast by voters in
the election of April 5.''

A victory of his Communist party triggered violent protests in
Chisinau.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets, storming the parliament
building and setting fire to government offices.

They said the vote was rigged.

Voronin submitted his request for a recount in an attempt to restore order
to the country.

The court chairman said voters' lists will also be examined, after members
of the opposition said there had been mass poll fraud.

But the opposition said the proposed recount is a way to mask election
fraud and they want a new poll.

Voronin who has been in power since 2001, is Europe's only ruling communist
leader.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• Moldova
• election recount
• Vladimir Voronin
• poll
• Communist party
• Chisinau