Moldovan presidential polls fixed for November 10

CHISINAU, November 3 (RIA Novosti) - Moldova's parliament on Tuesday set November 10 as the date for its vote to elect the country's new president.

Democratic Party leader Marian Lupu is so far the only candidate for the top post, but he is unlikely to receive the required 61 votes in the 101-seat parliament as his candidacy is staunchly opposed by the Communists, who have 48 seats.

A former Communist, Lupu left the party after it failed to nominate him for president in the summer.

The political situation in Moldova remains strained seven months after parliamentary elections won by the Communist Party set off mass disturbances in Moldova's capital, Chisinau. Protesters, claiming that the election was flawed, attacked the parliament and presidential administration buildings.

Although the vote was upheld, the opposition forced new elections by boycotting the two parliamentary votes on a new president, leaving the Communists' candidate one vote short of confirmation and causing the dissolution of the parliament.

The snap elections on July 29 gave the Communist Party 12 votes fewer than the 60 they won in the April 5 elections.

Parliamentary speaker Mihai Ghimpu has been Moldova's acting president since September 11 when Vladimir Voronin stepped down after serving two consecutive four-year presidential terms.

Ghimpu, who leads the Liberal Party, has in the past openly supported unification with Romania, and earlier issued an order to annul a visa regime with Romania introduced by the Communist government after post-election riots in the capital Chisinau in April.