Azernews.Az

A top Moldovan official has said Chisinau does not favor any candidate in the December 11 presidential election in its breakaway Transdniester region, RFE/RL's Moldovan Service reports.

Eugen Carpov, who is deputy prime minister for the reunification of Transdniester, told RFE/RL by phone that Moldova does not recognize the breakaway region and does not support any candidate on the ballot.

On October 13, Russian presidential chief of staff Sergei Naryshkin was quoted by Russian media as saying Transdniester's long-time leader, Igor Smirnov, should step down rather than run for a further term.

Naryshkin proposed Transdniester parliament speaker Anatoly Kaminsky as a potential presidential candidate who could replace Smirnov.

Carpov said he thinks that statement of support for Kaminsky will influence voters in light of the strong ties between Tiraspol and Moscow.

He also recalled earlier expressions of support for Kaminsky from Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Russian State Duma speaker Boris Gryzlov.

Carpov declined to speculate whether a new leader in Transdniester would revitalize the ongoing peace talks. He did say, however, that Smirnov's behavior has been "erratic."

In September, Smirnov had a rare face-to-face meeting with Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat in Germany. But since then he has announced that Transdniester will abolish the daylight saving time change along with Ukraine and Russia, thereby distancing the region from Moldova and the rest of Europe.