Moldova's Communist president, Vladimir Voronin, accused neighbouring Romania today of trying to overthrow his government and ordered mass arrests of protesters in Europe's poorest state.
Moldova's former Soviet master Russia backed Voronin's allegation of foreign interference but NATO and EU member Romania rejected the veteran leader's words as a "provocation".
Western powers urged all sides in Moldova to keep calm and avoid a repeat of yesterday's riots, in which one person died, more than 270 people were injured and 193 were arrested.
Opposition parties called off further protests after the violence, when demonstrators contesting last weekend's Communist election victory set fire to the parliament building and broke into presidential offices.