Moldova's Constitutional Court on Sunday began hearing a request from the former Soviet republic's president to recount the ballots cast in a disputed election won by his Communist Party.

The announced results of the poll a week ago led to protests in which anti-communist protesters ransacked the president's office and parliament in the country of 4 million.

Opposition parties, who suggest the proposed recount is intended to mask election fraud and demand a new poll instead, staged a peaceful rally on Sunday before the court sitting to denounce what they view as human rights abuses.

Authorities said a second participant in this week's upheavals had died of smoke inhalation, but opposition activists and his family said he had been "beaten by police". About 200 people were hurt in the melee, including 80 policemen.

The Constitutional Court had postponed its sitting on Saturday but proceeded after receiving final results from Moldova's Central Election Commission.

The court was expected to approve the president's request as eight of its nine judges were appointed during his time in office.

Results gave the Communists nearly 50 percent and 60 seats -- one short of the number needed to ensure victory for their candidate when the assembly later elects the president. Voronin has served two terms and cannot run again.

The president said he requested the recount to help restore order and trust in the country. He has accused opposition parties of plotting a coup and said neighbouring Romania fomented the turmoil.

Rally

Earlier on Sunday, protesters massed in Chisinau's main square to hear opposition party leaders accuse Voronin's administration of keeping demonstrators incommunicado and ill-treating them. About 200 protesters have been detained.

"Voronin wants to draw an iron curtain between Moldova and the European Union and Romania," Serafim Urecheanu of the Our Moldova party, one of three groups that won seats in the poll, told the crowd.

"This policy will lead the country to bankruptcy."

The opposition has tried to distance itself from the violence and repeatedly called for calm at the rally.

Voronin and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana spoke by telepone on Saturday and Moldovan officials said the president asked him to send a mission to investigate the events.

A statement from Solana's office said he called for "further consolidation of democratic processes and institutions".


Reuters