The FINANCIAL — According to RIA Novosti, Moldova's election authorities said on April 13 that a recount of the April 5 election results, which sparked violent protests last week, would be held on April 15.
"Moldova's Central Election Commission and its local offices will recount the votes on April 15," commission member Valentin Vizant said.
The decision came after a ruling by the ex-Soviet republic's Constitutional Court on April 12.
President Vladimir Voronin urged a full recount on Saturday "to find a way out of the political deadlock, and restore the atmosphere of stability and trust in the newly elected parliament."
The opposition had demanded a recount of the vote, which saw Voronin's Communist Party win almost 50%. Voronin is due to step down on May 7, but his party won just enough seats in parliament to be able to elect a successor without requiring votes from any other party.
The OSCE and other international organizations said the election was fair.
Protests turned violent on April 7, when some 10,000 rioters, mainly students, broke into both the presidential residence and parliament in the capital, Chisinau, smashing windows and starting fires. Several hundred protesters and police were injured in the violence.
Voronin had accused the opposition of attempting to stage a coup and blamed Romania for orchestrating the disturbances in the capital, where a number of protestors waved Romanian flags and urged unification with their EU neighbor.
Romania has denied that it was behind the protests.
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