Smirnov eliminated from electoral race

None of the candidates who ran in the so-called presidential elections held in the separatist Transnistrian region on December 11 won more than 50% of the vote. The runoff vote will involve Evgeny Shevchuk and Anatoly Kaminsky. With 95% of the ballots counted, Shevchuk polled 39.1% of the vote, while Kaminsky – 27.7%. The current Transnistrian leader Igor Smirnov gained 25.5% of the ballot. The data was provided by representatives of Evgeny Shevchuk’s electoral staff for the news agency Ria Novosti, which was quoted by Info-Prim Neo. The runoff vote will take place within two weeks of the validation of the results of the first round of voting. According to Transnistrian press reports, the turnout of voters was 56%. Six candidates have taken part in the electoral race. They included Igor Smirnov, who has headed the region during the last 20 years. The separatist Transnistrian region proclaimed independence from Moldova in 1990, and is considered one of the post-Soviet space's "frozen conflicts". The international community does not recognize its self-declared statehood.