With 95 percent of the ballots counted, ex-parliament speaker Yevgeny Shevchuk is leading in the first round of Sunday’s presidential elections in Moldova’s breakaway republic of Transdnestr with 39.1 percent of the vote, his election headquarters said.
“Shevchuk is leading with 39.1 percent. Current Supreme Council speaker Anatoliy Kaminski is in second place with 27.7 percent, and incumbent President Igor Smirnov has 25.5 percent,” an official in Shevchuk’s headquarters said.
The elections are valid, as voter turnout was over 56 percent with the 50-percent threshold. In order to win, a candidate should gain 50 percent plus one vote.
A runoff will be held not later than in two weeks since the first round’s results are announced. Twenty-five percent of voters should cast their ballots in the second round in order for the runoff to be valid.
Smirnov, who is seeking a fifth presidential term, Kaminski, Shevchuk, Transdnestr Communist Party leader Oleg Khorzhan, leader of the Proryv (Breakthrough) movement Dmitry Soin and political scientist and journalist Andrei Safonov ran in the elections.
Meanwhile, Kaminski’s headquarters said he made it into the second round. Kaminski told RIA Novosti he was convinced he will win the runoff.
Smirnov has been heading the Transdnestr Republic since 1990. In September 2011, he announced plans to seek a fifth consecutive presidential term - plans opposed by the Kremlin.
A month before the presidential election in Transdnestr, Russia accused the Transdnestr leader's son Oleg of embezzling, together with his associate, $5.2 million that Russia sent as humanitarian aid to Transdnestr retirees in 2008-2009.
The Russian-speaking province of Transdnestr has maintained de facto independence from Moldova since a brief war in 1992, which erupted from a buildup of tensions following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Joint peacekeeping force of Russian, Moldovan and Transdnestr contingent has been deployed in the area.
Transdnestr seeks full independence, while Moldova says it is only prepared to allow autonomy.
