Igor Dodon

Politicians in Bucharest have reacted with dismay and in some cases with anger after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday presented his Moldovan counterpart Igor Dodon with an ancient map of Moldova that includes parts of modern Romania.

An agreement between Moldova and the Eurasian Economic Union will not be in any contradiction with the country's EU commitments, President Igor Dodon has told Sputnik Moldova.

Dodon, who was elected in November, has made no secret of his desire to dissolve Parliament and call a snap election over the course of the year.

Moldova's new pro-Russian President, Igor Dodon, signed a decree on Tuesday stripping former Romanian President Traian Basescu of his Moldovan citizenship. Dodon made the announcement on his Facebook account.

For the new Socialist head of state, who was inaugurated on December 23, the move was the fulfillment of one of the promises he made during his electoral campaign.

In the wake of the election of Moldova's Eurosceptic new leader, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that Bucharest's objective continues to be Moldova's European integration and the consolidation of its democracy.

The truth about Bulgaria and Moldova's presidential elections is "more complicated" and should not be reduced to pro-Russian candidates winning, the Economist says.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson has said Moscow welcomes "some of the statements" of victors in both Bulgaria and Moldova's presidential elections whose second rounds were held Sunday.

The almost final results of the presidential election in Moldova show a clear victory for the leader of Socialist Party, Igor Dodon, with around 52.3 per cent of the vote. His pro-EU rival, Maia Sandu, won 47.7 per cent.

Socialist Party leader Igor Dodon has won the second round of Moldova's presidential election, partial official results indicate.

Dodon leads woth 52.57%, amid a higher voter turnout of 1.6 million, up from the 1.4 m that voted in the first round last Sunday, daily Kommersant reports, citing preliminary data.

Voting is underway in Moldova where the two candidates have differing views on the country's future.

For the first time since 1997, the head of state will be elected by voters themselves and not by Parliament.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta voiced opinion on Thursday that Romania's relations with the Russian Federation will worsen on the short- and medium-term, both because of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the irreconcilable interests of the two countries with respect to the Republic of Moldova.

Photo credit: (c) Silviu MATEI / AGERPRES FLOW