Lithuania votes

Lithuania voted in the final round of parliamentary elections yesterday with the "father" of the Baltic state's independence from Russia warning that the result would define its future within the European Union.

Vytautas Landsbergis, Lithuania's first post-Soviet head of state, said the opposition Labour leader who won the first round two weeks ago, Russian-born millionaire Viktor Uspaskich, would favour Moscow if he became the next prime minister.

Mr Uspaskich strongly denies being a puppet of Moscow and has vowed to keep close links with the EU, which Lithuania joined in May together with nine other countries, most of them from ex-communist eastern Europe.

But Mr Landsbergis, a writer and intellectual who led resistance to Moscow, said he believed Mr Uspaskich would take Lithuania in the direction of Russia and Belarus if he came to power.

"The shift will be made to this side and not to European democracy," said Mr Landsbergis, who is now a member of the European Parliament for the opposition Conservatives and remains an influential figure in Lithuania.

The EU and Russia are watching closely. New EU member Lithuania has the fastest growing economy in the Baltics. Russia, which ruled Lithuania until 1991, still ships most of its European oil exports through the region.

Two contenders have ambitions to form the next government. Mr Uspaskich, who has promised to help the rural poor left out of the economic boom, took 29 per cent in the first round against 21 per cent for the incumbent Social Liberals/Social Democrats coalition led by Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas.

The prime minister, who has campaigned on his government's strong economic record, told reporters after casting his vote that he would step down if necessary: "If it is in Lithuania's interest, I would be prepared to take my pension," he said.

Most observers predict the vote will be close, forcing weeks of negotiations to forge a coalition that could end with either of the two main parties in control.

Lithuania's political class has lost credibility since the impeachment and sacking this year of President Rolandas Paksas over allegations of links to the Russian mob, which he denied. Other politicians have been investigated over graft claims.