Protesters storm Moldova parliament

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Police fired water cannons on the protesters, but were unable to stop them breaking into the parliament building and an adjacent presidential office in Chisinau.

A hospital spokesman said 30 police officers and protesters were injured in the clashes, which happened two days after the Communist Party won re-election in one of Europe's poorest nations.

The violence started after at least 10,000 protesters gathered outside the Parliament building, demanding new elections and shouting: "Down with the Communists!" and "Freedom! Freedom!"

The mainly young crowd of protesters - carrying European Union, Moldovan and Romanian flags - broke through police lines and a small number stormed the parliament and the presidential office.

Protesters smashed windows on two floors of the presidential office and set fire to furniture inside. Others broke through a side entrance to parliament, set furniture on fire and threw computers out the windows.

Later, police used tear gas and firecrackers to hold back a second surge by some 2,000 protesters.

The Communists, in power since 2001, won about 50% of the vote in what international observers said was a fair election. But Chisinau Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca suggested the official voter turnout of about 60% was inaccurate and said he believed some voters had cast multiple ballots.

Mr Chirtoaca, who is also the deputy leader of the opposition Liberal Party, claimed: "The elections were fraudulent, there was multiple voting. These are people who don't know what democracy is."

Sunday's results allow the Communists to form a majority in the 101-seat legislature, but they may need backing from other parties to elect a new president.