Moldova election seen as choice between East, West

[July 29, 2009]  CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) -- Voting was brisk Wednesday in closely monitored elections that could shift the impoverished former Soviet republic of Moldova away from Russia and toward the European Union.

Moldova has been in political paralysis since April parliamentary elections sparked violent protests, with the opposition claiming the balloting was rigged by the government.

At least three people were killed and hundreds of others arrested after protesters -- some of whom used the social network Twitter to organize after cell phone networks went down -- stormed parliament and the president's office.

Polls suggest the ruling Communist Party was leading with about 31 percent heading into Wednesday's vote, but analysts said four pro-European parties could win a combined 33 percent and form an alliance to elect the country's next president and move it toward the West.

Communist Party leader and acting President Vladimir Voronin voted early.

"I voted for the stability of Moldova," he told reporters.

Turnout in the first six hours was at almost 30 percent turnout, according to the Central Electoral Committee. It was some three percentage points more than in the same period during the disputed April 5 election.

About one in four of the nation's 2.6 million eligible voters were still undecided, according to a June 26-July 10 poll by the Institute for Public Politics. It gave a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

In an effort to discourage any attempts at vote fraud, more than 3,000 foreign and Moldovan observers were monitoring Wednesday's elections.

The vote was overshadowed by the world economic downturn, which has exacted a heavy toll on Moldova. The country's average monthly wage is only $350 (euro245), and the International Monetary Fund has warned that its gross domestic product will tumble 9 percent this year.

"On one hand, we either have European integration, or if the Communist Party continues in power, then we have the same situation as we had up to now: no proper reforms, only political statements that do not correspond to reality," said Vlad Lupan, a political analyst.

Ivan Mihailicenko, a 68-year-old retiree from Chisinau said he voted for the Communists. "Only the Communists can give us stability and order in the country... The opposition will only bring chaos and destruction."

But Andreea Gaibu an accountant, who is 28, said the country needed reform.

"We urgently need change; things can't go on like this. We saw what the Communists were like when three people died in the protests. Things need to get back to normal. We need a free press and a free economy."

[Associated Press; By CORNELIU RUSNAC]

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