Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Moldova holds referendum on presidential vote
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Save
Email
Print
Reprints
Most Popular
Most Shared
Gales, aftershocks shake quake hit New Zealand city
| Video
6:22am EDT
God did not create the universe, says Hawking
02 Sep 2010
IMF's Lipsky says moderate world recovery underway
1:07am EDT
Firm can't fire man for 1.8 cent theft
03 Sep 2010
German party mistakenly hands out porn pens to kids
03 Sep 2010
Motorcycling-Japan's Tomizawa dies after crash - Italian TV
8:48am EDT
As temperatures soar, Japanese turn to ghost houses
02 Sep 2010
Obama says his economic policies halted "bleeding"
04 Sep 2010
Steve Jobs: iTunes 10 Icon Does Not 'Suck'
03 Sep 2010
Thousands protest French clampdown against Roma
04 Sep 2010
German party mistakenly hands out porn pens to kids
03 Sep 2010
IMF's Lipsky says moderate world recovery underway
1:07am EDT
God did not create the universe, says Hawking
02 Sep 2010
Images from Hubble
29 Apr 2010
Strange and unusual
26 Aug 2010
Obama says his economic policies halted "bleeding"
04 Sep 2010
Muslim cleric calls for beheading of Dutch politician
03 Sep 2010
Samsung to challenge Apple's iPad with own tablet
03 Sep 2010
Gales, aftershocks shake quake hit New Zealand city
| Video
6:22am EDT
Common bone drugs linked to esophageal cancer risk
02 Sep 2010
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. NASDAQ delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Moldova holds referendum on presidential vote
Tweet This
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
Related News
Timeline: Moldova holds referendum on presidential poll
5:30am EDT
Analysis & Opinion
ANALYSIS-India’s economic reforms in limbo as state polls near
Related Topics
World »
By Alexander Tanas
CHISINAU |
Sun Sep 5, 2010 5:30am EDT
CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldovans voted on Sunday on whether to elect their president directly, a change that Moldova's West-leaning ruling coalition says would bring an end to chronic political paralysis.
Opinion polls suggest there will a strong vote in favor of ditching the present system, under which the head of state is elected by parliament, despite a call by the opposition Communists for a boycott of the referendum.
Moldova has had no full-time president for 18 months, with its ruling four-party Alliance for European Integration unable to muster enough parliamentary votes to install a head of state despite ousting the Communists from power in July 2009.
The Alliance says this has held up reforms that are urgently needed to bring the ex-Soviet state, one of Europe's poorest, into the mainstream. It promises direct elections for president and parliament on November 14 if the referendum succeeds.
Moldova, a country of 3.5 million people tucked between Romania and Ukraine, has an unresolved 20-year-old standoff with separatists on part of its territory, and is on poor terms with Russia, which supplies most of its oil and gas.
The average income is about $270 per month and more than 430,000 Moldovans work abroad to support families back home. The EU says Moldova needs major reforms to be eligible for bloc membership.
Corruption is rampant, the judiciary, state security and police are politicized and the media tends to toe the line of whoever is in power.
Parliament speaker Mihai Ghimpu, one of the Alliance's leading lights, has served as acting president. If the referendum succeeds, Prime Minister Vlad Filat and charismatic center-left politician Marian Lupu would be among the favorites to win election as president.
BOYCOTT CALL
Former president Vladimir Voronin, who in 2001 became the first elected communist head of state in Europe since the breakup of the Soviet Union, has called the referendum a "trap" and called on his followers to boycott it.
After casting his vote on Sunday, Filat told journalists: "Today we are giving back to our citizens their justifiable right to elect a president." Voronin's call for a boycott was "doomed to failure," he said.
Ghimpu, a fierce critic of Russia who supports Moldovan union with Romania, also expressed confidence. "The Communists are about to suffer a crushing defeat," he said after voting.
In the village of Cosnita a half hour's drive from Chisinau, people appeared divided. Vera Isayko, a woman in her 60s selling fruit and vegetables from a roadside stall, backed Voronin and his boycott call.
"I'll not be turning out for the vote," she told Reuters on Saturday. "If that Ghimpu comes here, I'll burst one of these watermelons over his head."
In the same village, Gennady Glog, gathering cobs of corn in his garden, said: "I'll be voting because the future of my children hangs on it, and I will vote for direct elections. I have two small daughters. We need to change."
On the border with the breakaway territory of Transdniestria, voters in the village of Corjova were blocked from entering the polling stations by a cordon of people, denouncing the referendum as illegal. Local authorities said the protesters backed the secessionist Transdniestrian authorities.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) and were to close at 9 p.m. Preliminary results could come by 00:30 a.m. on Monday (2130 GMT on Sunday).
(Writing by Richard Balmforth; Editing by Charles Dick)
World
Add a Comment
*We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language or appear to be spam and review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.
© Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Analyst Research
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Reuters on Facebook
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Sunday, 5 September 2010 France protests against security crackdown
Texas probing Google over search results
EU deal to curb speculative trading close: commissioner
Protestors in Ireland pelt Blair at book signing
Blair pelted with eggs at Dublin book signing
|
Pakistan try to focus after police grill trio
EU decision on support for banks due November: commissioner
Most Greeks want government reshuffle amid crisis
|
Earl socks Canada's Nova Scotia, weakens to tropical storm
Hurricane Earl makes landfall in Canada
Muslims take to Minn. State Fair to repair image
Amnesty calls for India Maoists to free police
Japan beat Paraguay to avenge World Cup defeat
Craigslist.com blocks access to adult services ads
|
Scorsese film defends anti-communist informer Kazan
India's Tata Steel may seek $5.4-bln loan: report
Afghans crowd scandal-hit bank to withdraw savings
India clears plane order for low-cost carriers
FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in New Zealand
Vietnam arrests 4 more executives of shipbuilder
U.S. comedian Robert Schimmel dies after car accident
|
Taliban death threats hang over Afghan elections
Gales, aftershocks shake quake hit New Zealand city
|
Berlusconi backs down on key measure
US-TECH Summary
US likely to keep troops in Iraq after 2011
Suicide bomber kills five in southern Russia
|
'Relief' as Wilders-backed Dutch coalition fails
Sharapova, Federer battle on in US tennis Open
Craigslist.com blocks access to adult services ads
Gaza rocket fire draws Israeli air strikes
Thousands protest French clampdown against Roma
|
Craigslist 'censors' adult services listings in US
Torrential rains kill 18 in Guatemala
|
Six killed in Darfur camp shootout
Over one million join Apple's music social network Ping
Afghans continue pulling money from troubled bank
Belgium back in crisis as mediator quits
|
Possible talks with Afghan insurgents draw closer
Craiglist Blocks U.S. Access To Controversial Adult Ads
Two die in mid-air light aircraft collision in UK
|
Gales, aftershocks shake quake hit New Zealand city
Abbott makes plea in Australia political impasse
Earl loses tropical storm status after soaking Canada
Typhoon delays US-S.Korea naval exercise
For US Muslims, a 9/11 anniversary like no other
Thousands of Japanese schools serving whale meat
JetBlue: Flight attendant's big exit was for good
Cholera outbreak 'covered up' in China
Thai villagers voice health fears over pollution
Deneuve, Depardieu at Venice filmfest
Indonesian fashion scores Ramadan hit
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
New Zealand tourist plane crash dead identified
U.S. comedian Robert Schimmel dies after car accident
Builders race to finish first S.Korea F1 track
N.Zealand braces for more destruction after quake
Booming China auto industry faces over-capacity
iPhone 4 sales in S.Korea start this week
Suzuki to build new auto plant in India
Twelve killed in suicide assault on Iraq army base
ETA declares ceasefire in struggle with Spain
Basque separatists ETA halting armed attacks
|
Mideast talks to resume in Egyptian Red Sea resort
Five killed, scores hurt in Dagestan suicide bombing
Bangladesh issues red alert over spread of anthrax
|
A month on, Chile miners face uncertain rescue date
Basque separatists ETA declare ceasefire: BBC
Twelve killed in suicide assault on Iraq army base
|
Suicide attack kills 12 at Baghdad army complex
Israel's Barak to make 24-hour visit to Russia
Taliban vow to disrupt Afghanistan election
|
New Farmlands Driving Out Forests Causes Climate Change Study Says
Troubled Afghan bank faces further day of queues
Philippine police chief takes blame for bus hijack
|
NATO service member killed in Afghan fighting
Mideast talks to resume in Egyptian Red Sea resort
|
Moldova holds referendum on presidential vote
|
Fresh 'fixing' claims cloud Pakistan-England match
Nepal's parliament again fails to elect new PM
Afghan governor says kidnapped Japan journalist freed
Philippines needs more time for deadly bus hijack probe
Philippine police chief takes blame for bus hijack
Bangladesh dams to reclaim 600 square kms of land
Floodwaters sweep towards another Pakistani town
Three Abu Sayyaf militants killed in Philippines: police
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights