RA’s Daily Russian News Blast – July 30, 2009
President Medvedev is expected to wield Russian influence in Dushanbe today at a security summit with the leaders of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ria-Novosti reports that Tajikistan wants Russia to begin paying for use of a military base on its territory and demands that Russian border guards leave. Kyrgyzstan has agreed to accommodate a second Russian military base in the country’s southern region. It looks like pro-Western opposition parties have unseated the ruling Communist government in Moldova. As President Voronin voted he expressed his belief in a Communist victory and said, ‘I believe that Russia, in these difficult days that our country has had to live through, acted as the most sincere, most devoted friend’. According to an exit poll Communists garnered 41% of the vote, which would give them only 48 seats in the 101-member parliament, down a fifth on April’s elections results. It looks like liberal and pro-NATO parties have won almost 54% of the vote and intend to create a wide coalition.