Transnistrian presidential election turnover exceeded 56%

PanARMENIAN.Net - Voter turnout at the December 11 presidential elections in Moldova's breakaway Transnistria region exceeded 56.65 percent, which means the vote is valid, election press center spokesman Dmitry Matveyev said.

“The figures may become higher as several protocols in the city of Tiraspol have not been counted yet,” he added, RIA Novosti reported.

Incumbent President Igor Smirnov seeking a fifth presidential term, parliament speaker Anatoliy Kaminski, ex-parliament speaker Yevgeny Shevchuk, Transnistrian Communist Party leader Oleg Khorzhan, leader of the Proryv (Breakthrough) movement Dmitry Soin and political scientist and journalist Andrei Safonov ran in the elections.

Smirnov has been heading Transnistria 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 Transnistria, Russia accused the Transnistrian leader's son Oleg of embezzling, together with his associate, $5.2 million that Russia sent as humanitarian aid to Transnistria retirees in 2008-2009.

The Russian-speaking province of Transnistria 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 Transnistria contingent has been deployed in the area.

Transnistria seeks full independence, while Moldova says it is only prepared to allow autonomy.