CHISINAU, April 21 (RIA Novosti) - Moldova's top election authority announced on Tuesday the final results of a parliamentary vote recount, confirming victory for the country's Communist Party.

According to the initial results of the April 5 polls, the Communists garnered around half of the votes. The results sparked protests that later turned violent in the capital, Chisinau.

The decision to conduct a recount was taken by the Constitutional Court at the request of President Vladimir Voronin, who also chairs the Communist Party.

As a result of the vote recount, the Communists again came in first, with 49.48% of the vote, and were followed by the Liberal Party with 13.13%, the Liberal-Democratic Party (12.43%) and the Our Moldova alliance (9.77%), Central Election Commission Chairman Yevgeny Shtirbu reported.

The Communists now have 60 out of 101 parliamentary seats, and are one seat away from being able to unilaterally elect the president.

Voter turnout stood at 57.4%, according to the recount.