CHISINAU, September 11 (RIA Novosti) - Moldova's parliament appointed on Friday newly elected parliamentary speaker Mihai Ghimpu as acting president.

President Vladimir Voronin stepped down earlier on Friday after serving two consecutive four-year presidential terms. He was barred by the Constitution from seeking a third term.

Meanwhile, MPs, now led by a pro-Western coalition, will have to try to elect president in the next two months.

As acting president, Ghimpu has the right to nominate a candidate for prime minister.

Presidential polls can be held either before or after the government is formed, but within two months after the presidential post is declared vacant.

Ghimpu, who leads the Liberal Party, has openly supported unification with Romania.

Voronin was Europe's first democratically elected Communist leader after the fall of the Soviet Bloc.