ROMANIANS VOTE IN PRESIDENTIAL RUN-OFF
Baku, 6 December (AZERTAC). Voting is under way in Romania in the second round of the country`s presidential election, according to the BBC.
Centre-right President Traian Basescu ended the first round narrowly ahead of the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Mircea Geoana.
However, opinion polls suggest Mr Geoana goes into the second round as the clear favourite.
The election campaign has been fought against a backdrop of a serious economic crisis in Romania.
But it has also been marred by personal attacks and allegations, says the BBC`s Eastern Europe correspondent Nick Thorpe.
A final televised debate between the two men degenerated into farce, as both appeared to be caught telling less than the truth, having sworn an oath on the Bible, our correspondent says.
One of the key roles of the next president will be to appoint a prime minister, as Romania has been led by a caretaker government since October.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has delayed the payment of part of a bail-out loan because of the current lack of effective government in Romania.
Analysts say corruption is still widespread, nearly three years after the country joined the EU.
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