Regional government leaders in Taraclia in southern Moldova say they are determined to hold a referendum to extend local autonomy, in spite of a ruling by the country's Supreme Court that it would be illegal.

Under Moldova's recently-enacted county division, the Taraclia region -- where the majority of the population are ethnic Bulgarians -- is due to be absorbed into a new county, centred on Cahul .

In October the Bulgarian ambassador sparked a diplomatic row when he said that ethnic Bulgarians should resist any move by the Moldovan authorities to limit their powers of self-government.