Ruling party accused of fraud as Moldova votes

Moldova held a parliamentary poll on Sunday, with both pro-Russian and pro-EU forces accusing the ruling party of massive election fraud.

They said the Democratic Party, led by powerful oligarch Vlad Plahotniuc, had bussed in people from the former Soviet state's breakaway region of Transnistria and told them how to vote.

Moldova's pro-Moscow President Igor Dodon and pro-Brussels opposition leader Andrei Nastase both alleged the party had conspired with Transnistrian separatist authorities to organise the fraud. Dodon urged people not to be tempted by bribes.

"Don't be afraid or let people buy you off. Don't be afraid of losing your job," Dodon said after voting in the capital Chisinau. "I know people are encouraging you to vote for certain parties."
Chebotar on Sunday acknowledged that there had been "violations" during the election but shrugged them off, saying they would "not affect the voting process."