Second minister quits in Moldova

The row has provoked weeks of protests

Political turmoil in Moldova deepened on Wednesday with the resignation of the country's interior minister.

The country has been hit by a wave of street protests since a government decision - which has since been revoked - to force schoolchildren to learn Russian.

The crisis claimed its first high-profile victim on Tuesday, when Education Minister Ilie Vancea was sacked by the president.

Interior Minister Vasile Dregenel insisted he was resigning for reasons unconnected to the row.

But local analysts quoted by Reuters news agency said they believed Mr Dregenel had resigned because he had refused to crack down on the protests.

Strong feelings

The demonstrations have continued despite a decision to revoke the Russian language plan.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of Moldovans took to the streets of the capital, Chisinau, demanding that the communist government step down.

On Wednesday, an estimated 5,000 people - including students and schoolchildren - again staged a protest.

President Voronin's communists want closer ties with Russia

The issue has raised strong feelings in a country where nearly 70% of the population speak Romanian.

Most of Moldova was part of Romania until a 1939 Nazi-Soviet pact. It gained independence in 1991, and scrapped compulsory Russian lessons the same year.

The attempt to reintroduce them, and to teach Russian history instead of Romanian history, provoked widespread public anger. Many saw it as an attempt to move the country back under Russian's influence, and away from the West.

The ousted education minister who introduced the plan had apologised for it on Monday, saying it had been a mistake, but was sacked the next day.

The country's finance minister also resigned last month over a separate issue.