Chisinau/Moscow - Moldova's opposition used its parliamentary strength Saturday to boycott an attempt by the ruling communists to elect their candidate president, Interfax news agency reported. The blocking tactic came after two weeks of bloody rioting in the capital of the former Soviet republic, after the communists won an April 5 parliamentary election in disputed circumstances.

"The opposition has a golden voice which is worth more than the 60 votes of the communists," an opposition spokesman said.

Chisinau - Leaders of Moldova's opposition on Thursday announced plans to boycott the next parliament as the country's supreme court set a deadline for a political showdown in the former Soviet republic.

"We will not participate in the election of a president, and in parliamentary sessions that will discuss it," said Mihai Gimpu, leader of the opposition Liberal Party of Molodva (LPM).

Kiev/Chisinau - Ukraine has extradited a pair of Moldovan nationals suspected of organising violent anti-government protests in Chisinau, a Ukrainian official confirmed Thursday.

Businessman Gabriel Stati and his associate Auren Marinescu have been returned to the Moldovan capital "and are no longer on Ukrainian territory," said Oleksander Shinalsky, a spokesman for the Prosecutor General's office.

Chisinau/Kiev - Opponents of Moldova's Communist government renewed mass protest on Sunday, with more than 10,000 people taking part in a peaceful demonstration in the capital Chisinau. The peaceful march moved along Chisinau's main Stefan Chel Mare Boulevard without halting traffic, as with protests in previous days.

Three opposition political parties upset with a Communist election win a week ago organized the demonstration.

Chisinau/Kiev - Moldovan demonstrations against a Communist election win were muted in size and intensity on Friday, as President Vladimir Voronin called for a recount of the results. Between seven and nine hundred marchers carrying flowers had gathered in the centre of the Moldovan capital Chisinau by midday. Almost all the protestors were student age.

The demonstration was, in contrast to protests of earlier days, largely silent. The flowers symbolized "peace" and "nonviolence," marchers said.

Chisinau/Moscow  - After days of violent protests, Moldova's ruling Communist Party fell one vote short of the number needed to name the country's next president, according to final, adjusted election results released late Wednesday.

The final figures were made public after three days of dramatic protests against the full Communist victory in the small country that lies between Ukraine and Romania.