(28 Nov 2014) A wealthy pro-Russian candidate who had hoped to be Moldova's next Prime Minister fled the country before dawn on Friday, two days before elections in a country that is deeply torn over whether to move closer to Russia or the West.
The candidate, Renato Usatii, a Rolls Royce-driving businessman who works for Russian Railways, said he feared arrest by Moldova's pro-European authorities.
This week a court banned his Patria party from running, saying that it can't compete because it receives money from abroad.
Border police said he caught an early flight to Moscow.
His departure still leaves two other pro-Russian parties in a parliamentary race whose outcome will determine whether the former Soviet republic will stick to its current course of pro-European reforms or move decisively back into Russia's orbit.
Given Russia's aggression in Ukraine and reassertion of influence in Georgia, Moldova's decision carries a geopolitical importance that far outweighs its size and economic importance.
The poor nation of less than four million people is wedged between Ukraine and European Union member Romania, and has a breakaway region, Trans-Dniester, that longs to join Russia and where Russia stations hundreds of troops.
Opinion polls show the pro-Europeans are ahead of the pro-Russian parties, but the outcome is far from certain.
Since no party is expected to win a majority of votes, the ultimate outcome will depend on whether the party with the most votes can forge a coalition with others.
Authorities fear that a Russian-backed organisation could plan violence after the election if pro-European parties win.
On Wednesday they identified 15 Moldovan and Russian suspects allegedly planning unrest, and said searches of their homes had uncovered pistols, grenade launchers, military uniforms, plans to attack unnamed institutes and large sums of money.
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