Euro Parliament Sending Romanian-Led Mission To Moldovan Elections

STRASBOURG -- The European Parliament has said the seven-member delegation that will monitor Moldova's parliamentary elections on July 29 will be led by a Romanian, RFE/RL's Moldovan Service reports.

Conservative Romanian parliamentarian Marian Jean Marinescu, who has been critical of Moldova's handling of the crisis that followed the controversial elections of April 5, will head the group.

Two other Romanian members of the European Parliament will be in the delegation, which is scheduled to be in Chisinau from July 26-31.

The other four members of the team are from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Bulgaria.

Moldova's Communist government -- which won the spring elections -- has accused Romania of meddling in its internal affairs and fomenting unrest in Chisinau after the vote.

Romania denies the accusations, but several Romanian officials have expressed concern over the way the last Moldova elections were held and have asked Chisinau to ensure free and fair polls this time around.