Moldovan police regain control after riots

Moldovan police took back control of the parliament and president's office today after rioters ransacked the buildings following elections they claimed were rigged.

More than 100 riot police surrounded the buildings in the capital, Chisinau, yesterday. Protesters stormed the buildings on Monday, setting fire to furniture and hurling computers from windows.

Police abandoned the buildings to protesters as the demonstrations threatened to get out of control.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev was forced to intervene, asking for a peaceful resolution of the crisis in a call to his Moldovan counterpart, Vladimir Voronin.

Communist president Mr Voronin accused pro-European opposition parties of instigating the protests that left more than 50 injured. His party won about 50 per cent of the vote in elections on Sunday.

Police were braced for more trouble today as opposition supporters prepared to join protests in Chisinau against the Communists' election win.

"I can tell you tomorrow ten buses with protesters will move to Chisinau from my district alone," one opposition activist said. He added that if police blocked roads his demonstrators would walk to the capital on foot.