Alliance's presidential candidate: I would withdraw if someone convinces me that my candidacy is against the national interest

Marian Lupu, the ruling Alliance for European Integration's presidential candidate, said during a press conference today that he would withdraw from the race if someone convinces him that his candidacy goes against Moldova's national interest.

Mr. Lupu is most likely referring to the Party of Communists, which has thus far said it would not vote for him.

The ruling Alliance has 53 seats in the legislature, eight short of the 61 it needs to elect Mr. Lupu. Those votes can only come from the Party of Communists.

Mr. Lupu just returned from Moscow, where he met with ruling United Russia party representatives. The Alliance candidate said he went there to talk about bilateral ties between the Democratic Party, which he heads, and United Russia. He also noted that he met with Konstantin Kosachov, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Russian Duma and with Segrei Naryshkin, the Kremlin's chief of staff, with whom he spoke about the political situation in Moldova.

Mr. Lupu said that it was "natural" for Russia to be concerned about recent events in Moldova.

Communist head and former President (2001-2009) Vladimir Voronin, who has been one of the most vocal critics of Mr. Lupu's candidacy, was in Moscow at about the same time as Mr. Lupu, but the Alliance candidate said during the same press conference today that he did not meet Mr. Voronin and that United Russia representatives did not bring up the Communist head's visit.

Political analysts have said that Mr. Lupu's and Mr. Voronin's simultaneous visit to Russia is an indicator of the fact that Moscow still has a lot of influence in the country.

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