Transdnestr's Election Commission said Monday that President Igor Smirnov, who has served three consecutive terms as leader of the post-Soviet de facto independent republic, won 82.4% of the vote. Moldova and the European Union have not recognized the vote and its result.
"The results of the vote show that Igor Smirnov remains Transdnestr's acknowledged leader," the Foreign Ministry said, highlighting a turnout of 66.1%.
"The election, turnout, and the consolidation of voters around the incumbent leadership give us hope that the interests and concerns of Transdnestr's people will be duly heeded in ongoing efforts to find a political solution to the problem and resume the negotiating process in line with OSCE principles," the ministry said.
The post-Soviet dispute has been mediated by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Russia, Ukraine, the EU, and the U.S., which have urged Moldova and Transdnestr to restart direct talks suspended in March over customs restrictions.
The ministry claimed foreign and Russian monitors agreed the vote was democratic and without major violations, whereas Smirnov said the majority of Transdnestrians had thereby supported his program, focusing on closer economic and humanitarian ties with Russia.
Populated largely by Russian speakers, Transdnestr, which broke away from Moldova following a bloody war in the 1990s, recently asked Russia for recognition and eventual annexation.
Russia has not officially signaled its willingness to admit the region, although it is widely believed to support the self-proclaimed republic.
Smirnov was challenged by three other contenders, including Andrei Safonov, editor of the local opposition Novaya Gazeta newspaper, who earlier accused Smirnov of corruption, non-democratic practices and lack of progress in talks with Moldova.
Safonov said Monday that official preliminary results differed noticeably from exit poll data. He said exit polls showed the president received the backing of around 63.4% of voters, giving him 8.6% of the vote rather than the official figure of 3.2%.
