MOLDOVA, a former Soviet republic, is holding the second round run off of its first multiparty presidential election tomorrow.
President Mircea Snegur, who won 39 per cent in the first round on November 17th, is thought to be running neck and neck with the parliament's chairman, Mr Petru Lucinschi, who scored 28 per cent. Seven other candidates, including the Prime Minister, Mr Andrei Sangheli, were knocked out in the first round.
President Snegur was elected chairman of parliament in 1989 and appointed president by parliament in 1990. He was the only candidate in the republic's first presidential election in 1991.
But Mr Snegur's brief union with nationalists seeking reunification with Romania frightened ethnic minorities. The Gagauz, a 150,000 strong Turkic group in the south of the country, declared itself independent in August 1990.
In September 1990, the Dnestr region in the east of the country broke away.
In Bucharest yesterday, where Mr Emil Constantinescu was sworn in as Romanian president a senior diplomat said that whatever the outcome of the Moldovan vote, the new leaders would have toestablish immediate contacts and relaunch gradual economic and cultural integration between what both Romania and Moldova call their "sister states".
Mr Constantinescu yesterday pledged to step up democratic reforms expected to boost his country's chances of joining NATO and the European Union. He took the oath before the two houses of parliament dominated by his centrist followers whose victory in this month's general election ousted the ex communist president, Mr Iliescu, and party from government after seven years.
Mr Constantinescu (57), elected for a four year term, said that the prime minister designate, the popular Bucharest mayor, Mr Victor Ciorbea, would soon announce the new coalition government.