The government has approved a resolution proposing the withdrawal of Moldova from the Commonwealth of Independent States and from the associated protocol signed in 1991. In the same session, the cabinet of ministers also approved the project aimed at denouncing the CIS status from 1993, a document that establishes the rules and mode of operation of the organization, reports IPN.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through these legislative initiatives, the authorities are initiating the definitive withdrawal from the statutory bodies of the CIS. The decision comes in the context where Russia has violated the fundamental values of the organization, especially the principles of territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of member states.
The authorities in Chisinau claim that the principles of the CIS are no longer respected. The situation has been exacerbated by Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and the violation of the territorial integrity of some states.
The government emphasizes that the decision aligns with the country’s new strategic priorities. The Republic of Moldova has candidate status for the European Union, and maintaining obligations towards the CIS would be incompatible with the commitments undertaken in the process of European integration.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs specifies that the denunciation of the founding treaties of the CIS will not affect other bilateral or sectoral agreements. Moldova will continue to apply the economic and commercial treaties that bring benefits, including the Free Trade Area Agreement. Also, the free movement of citizens will remain regulated by the existing bilateral agreements.
Withdrawing from the statutory structures of the CIS will also generate budget savings. Moldova’s annual contribution to the organization is approximately 3.1 million lei. Over the past two years, the authorities have analyzed the relevance of the treaties signed within the CIS: out of the 283 agreements, 71 have already been denounced, and about 60 are under review.
The draft laws are to be submitted to Parliament for review and vote.
