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Preliminary Results for Moldova Presidential Election to be Announced Monday

by VOA News

   Moldovans voted Sunday in a runoff election for president that could
   see Russia-leaning candidate Igor Dodon upset his pro-Europe rival Maia
   Sandu.

   Election Chief Alina Russu told reporters that by midday about 34
   percent of voters had cast ballots and "no incidents or serious
   violation have been reported."

   This is the first election in which Moldova is choosing a leader by
   national votes rather than having parliament select the next president.

   In the first round of voting on Oct. 30, Socialist Party leader Dodon
   received 48 percent of the vote.

   While Dodon said he wants to shift Moldova's alliance toward Russia,
   political analysts say the election is more about bringing in a new
   face after corruption scandals damaged Moldova's European path.

   FILE - Leader of the Socialists Party, Igor Dodon, shown with his son
   Nikolai and wife Galina, casts his ballot, during the presidential
   elections in Chisinau, Moldova, Oct. 30, 2016.

   After voting, Dodon said in the future Moldova "will be independent,
   united and sovereign."

   The small country of 3.5 million is one of Europe's poorest, worsened
   by the turmoil that erupted last year when nearly $1 billion, around 10
   percent of the country's gross domestic product, disappeared from three
   banks.

   His opponent, Maia Sandu, a former World Bank Economist, vowed to
   appoint "incorruptible and honest people." She received 38 percent of
   votes during the first round of voting.

   FILE - Leader of the Action and Solidarity Party, Maia Sandu, casts her
   vote during the presidential elections in Chisinau Moldova, Oct. 30,
   2016.

   After casting her vote on Sunday, Sandu said she "rely on vigilance of
   all the people who are voting... if the election is carried out
   correctly, we will win."

   The pro-European candidate has also warned the population about the
   danger of a closer economic relationship with Russia, which is
   Moldova's leading energy supplier.

   Anatol Taranu, analyst from the think tank Politcon, said that Dodon
   had 140,000 more votes in the first round, but added that Sandu could
   draw votes from young people who did not cast their ballots in October.

   Reports say approximately 9,000 people voted in the separatist region
   of Trans-Dniester, where residents usually do not vote in Moldovan
   elections.

   Dodon wants to federalize Moldova to include the Trans-Dniester regions
   where more than 1,000 Russians troops are stationed.

   In places like Paris, Milan, Dublin, and the London borough of
   Stratford, Moldovans lined up for hours to vote. Election authorities
   also said there were not enough ballots for voters in Stratford,
   Bucharest, Moscow or Bologna, Italy.

   Sandu called for the resignation of authorities organizing the vote.

   Polls closed at 1900 (UT) and a preliminary count will be announced
   early Monday.