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Trans-Dniester to hold election Trans-Dniester votes for leader
(about 17 hours later)
The breakaway Trans-Dniester region of Moldova is voting in elections, with incumbent President Igor Smirnov tipped to win five more years in power. Voting has ended in a presidential poll in Moldova's breakaway Trans-Dniester region, with incumbent Igor Smirnov tipped to win five more years in power.
Mr Smirnov, who has held the job for the past 16 years, has said he will retire only when the region achieves full international recognition. Turnout was high and an exit poll gave Mr Smirnov more than 60%.
Mr Smirnov has said he will retire only when the region gets full international recognition. He has ruled since the break with Moldova in September 1990.
Trans-Dniester is a narrow strip of land with a population of about 500,000 on Ukraine's south-western border.
The other three candidates contesting the election are:
  • Petr Tomaily, a businessman and member of the regional parliament
  • Nadezhda Bondarenko, a journalist and head of the Transdniester Communist Party
  • Andrey Safonov, an opposition journalist.
The region's population is mostly Slavic - Russians 30%, Ukrainians 29% - compared with Moldovans 32%, according to the 2004 census. The majority have always favoured close ties with Moscow.
In a September referendum, 97% voted to join the Russian Federation and 94% rejected reintegration with Moldova.In a September referendum, 97% voted to join the Russian Federation and 94% rejected reintegration with Moldova.
No country recognised the results, but Russia called the vote "free and fair".No country recognised the results, but Russia called the vote "free and fair".
The other three candidates on the ballot are:
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  • Petr Tomaily, a businessman and member of the regional parliament
  • Nadezhda Bondarenko, a journalist and head of the Transdniester Communist Party
  • Andrey Safonov, an opposition journalist.
 Moldova has claimed Sunday's election is a farce and called on foreign diplomats to condemn it.
Ties with Russia It accuses Mr Smirnov of running an authoritarian regime, but at home he is very popular, correspondents say.
Igor Smirnov has ruled the region ever since it broke away from Moldova in September 1990. Results are expected on Monday, with an absolute majority needed for a first round win.
Other candidates: Nadezhda Bondarenko and Petr Tomaily Profile: Trans-Dniester Russian forces based in the region are reported to have intervened on the side of secessionist forces when a brief civil war broke out in 1992.
Russian troops are still present in Trans-Dniester, in defiance of an agreement signed in 1999 at the summit of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which envisaged a complete military withdrawal within three years.
The region's population of about 555,000, is mostly Slavic - Russians 30%, Ukrainians 29% - compared with Moldovans 32%, according to the 2004 census. The majority have always favoured close ties with Moscow.
In Sunday's election, a candidate needs an absolute majority of votes cast in order to win, otherwise the top two candidates compete in a run-off.
There have been no opinion polls, but correspondents say Igor Smirnov is in a strong position to win in the first round.