TIRASPOL, December 11 (RIA Novosti, Natalia Belova, Vladimir Sandutsa) - Voting began in the Moldovan self-declared republic of Transdnestr at 07:00 a.m. local time (05:00 a.m. GMT) Sunday to elect a new parliament. More than 400,000 registered voters in the breakaway region are electing a 43-seat Supreme Council, with 172 candidates standing for election.

A turnout of at least 25% is needed at the republic's 257 voting stations for the results to be valid.

More than 150 international observers from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and other countries, along with more than 100 foreign journalists, are monitoring the elections.