CHISINAU, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Moldovan opposition leader

Alexandr Stoianoglo, who was defeated at a presidential vote in

November, said on Friday he was taking the helm of a coalition

of three parties to challenge the pro-Western ruling majority at

this year's parliamentary election.

The former prosecutor general came closer than expected to

unseating pro-Western President Maia Sandu last year, losing in

a run-off after campaigning for a balanced foreign policy that

would look to Russia as well as West. He had been backed by the

pro-Moscow socialist party.

The parliamentary election, which must be held by Oct. 26

but has not been scheduled yet, is expected to be closely fought

and could significantly reduce the number of seats held by

Sandu's pro-Western PAS party.

Moldova, located between Ukraine and Romania, is a

geopolitical battleground between Russia the West, with a

Romanian-speaking majority and large Russian-speaking minority.

Sandu's government is striving to lead the country into the

European Union by 2030.

Announcing his coalition, Stoianoglo told reporters at a

briefing in Chisinau his main priority was "the consolidation of

Moldovan society. We will not divide people into good and bad,

our voters and strangers, different nationalities."

The "Alternative" coalition will bring together Chisinau

mayor Ion Ceban's party, former prime minister Ion Chicu's party

and former lawmaker Marc Tcaciuc's party.

Ceban, who spoke alongside Stoianoglo, said the time had

come to "restore the faith of Moldova's citizens in reforms and

European integration" as well as competent governance.

Moldova's opposition often criticizes Sandu and her PAS

party for lacking efficiency and ignoring the interests of the

public. Sandu's government says opponents aim to undermine the

bid to join the EU.

"To avoid interpretations, we support European integration

as the country's main goal... We must focus on the needs of

people," Ceban said.

Russia has troops stationed in Transdniestria, a breakaway

region of Moldova controlled by pro-Moscow separatists.

Relations between Chisinau and Moscow deteriorated after

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Sandu condemned.

The Moldovan government accused Russia last year of meddling

in its presidential election and a referendum held

simultaneously on aspirations to join the EU, which passed but

more narrowly than forecast. Moscow denies meddling.

Since the start of this year Moscow and Chisinau have

clashed over gas supplies to Transdniestria, which produces

electricity for the rest of Moldova and where thousands of

people have been left without gas or winter heating.

Russian gas flows to Transdniestria over Ukraine stopped at

the start of January when a transit agreement expired. Moldova

has said Moscow should send the gas by other routes, but

Russia's Gazprom has halted exports, citing an unpaid

Moldovan debt, which Chisinau says it does not recognise.

Chisinau accuses Russia of artificially creating an energy

crisis to affect parliamentary elections. Russia blames Moldova

and Ukraine.

(Writing by Yuliia Dysa;

Editing by Tom Balmforth and)