Chisinau - Moldova's Communist Party appeared on track to retain or even strengthen its near-total control of the former Soviet republic's government, according to the results of a nationwide survey made public Tuesday.

Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin and his ruling Communists enjoy 36 per cent support, while the opposition Liberal-Democratic Party and Liberal Party currently can manage only 16 per cent combined, according to data gathered by the Barometre of Public Opinion, a Chisinau-based political science research group.

Parliamentary elections are scheduled in Moldova for April 5. The Communists and their allies currently hold a 61-seat majority in the 101-member parliament.

The upcoming election also will see a reduction in splinter parties placing deputies in parliament, with only the Communists and the two liberal parties likely to overcome a
5 per cent support barrier, the survey found.

A political party according to Moldovan law must obtain 5 per cent support to put an MP into parliament from its party list. The President is elected by parliament.

Currently, MPs from five parties have MPs in Moldova's parliament.

A large number of undecided voters, some 23 per cent of those surveyed, could still shift the vote results significantly, according to an Infotag news agency report.

Voronin was nonetheless enjoying widespread support despite opposition claims his government is undemocratic, with some 48 per cent of potential voters rating him as "trustworthy," according to the poll. His rating a year ago was 41 per cent.

Voronin has served as Moldova's President since 2001. His opponents have accused him of taking power in a constitutional coup and holding on to the office by using government food supplies to pay off voters, and police to intimidate opponents.

Moldova's Barometer of Public Opinion poll was conducted from late February through mid-March by the Chisinau-based CBS-AXA market research company. More than
1,100 persons responded in the nationwide survey. (dpa)