CHISINAU, November 14. /TASS/. Igor Dodon, the leader of Moldova’s Party of Socialists advocating closer relations with Russia, has won the presidential elections in Moldova by the margin of more than 5 percentage points.

According to preliminary data by the Central Electoral Commission after counting 99.42% of ballots Dodon received 54.6% of votes (834,070 votes).

Dodon’s rival, Maia Sandu of the EU-leaning Party of Action and Solidarity, scored 47.3% of the vote (749,720 votes).

The counting of the remaining 0.58% of ballot of those Moldovan citizens who voted in the embassies of the country in the US and Canada won’t change the outcome of the elections. The gap between the candidates is about 85,000 while the number of ballots to count is less than 17,000.

An official with the Central Electoral Commission said that the final results will be announced tomorrow when the commission receives protocols from polling stations.

"We have secured a victory. I congratulate Maia Sandu on a worthy result and promise that I will be the President for those who voted for me and also of those who was against me," Dodon said, when he was congratulated on his victory at a press conference.