With over 70% of the votes counted, Igor Dodon won over 57% of the ballot, while Maia Sandu about 43%. President of the Central Election Commission Alina Russu said the votes at the polling places with a low number of voters were the first to be counted, IPN reports.

Alina Russu noted that a polling place in Balti and another one in Chisinau and three polling places abroad, in Tel Aviv, Bucharest and Treviso, extended their work programs.

“We understand the dissatisfaction of the people who were unable to vote and regret this. What happened today should be a lesson to be learned by us and by other institutions involved in the organization of elections,” stated Alina Russu.

The first preliminary data show the voter turnout at the runoff elections is 53%, which is about 1.6 million voters.