Moldovan parliament approves, in first reading, denunciation of two agreements with Commonwealth of Independent States that were not implemented

Chisinau, October 29, 2026 – The parliament approved has, in the first reading, the denunciation of two cooperation agreements with member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), whose implementation mechanisms were never put into practice and which have lost their relevance in the context of aligning the national legislation with the European Union acquis.

At the initiative of the Culture Ministry, MPs voted to denounce the Agreement on the restitution of cultural and historical assets to their countries of origin. Concluded in 1992, the document had limited practical application, because the intergovernmental commission responsible for developing the restitution mechanism was never established.

In the meantime, Moldova has developed its own legal framework for the protection of movable cultural heritage, aligned with European standards. The measures adopted include the approval, in 2023, of the Regulation on the circulation of movable cultural property and the establishment, in 2025, of the National System for the Protection, Recovery and Restitution of Movable Cultural Heritage. Under these circumstances, maintaining the CIS Agreement is no longer considered necessary.

At the same time, at the initiative of the Interior Ministry, the parliament supported the denunciation of the Protocol on the procedure for transferring narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors, firearms, their main components, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices that constitute evidence in criminal cases. Signed in 2017, the Protocol was not applied in practice and the cooperation mechanisms provided for therein were never used.

The denunciation of the Protocol does not amount to ending international cooperation with CIS states. Moldova may continue this cooperation through the international legal instruments to which it is a party, including the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

The parliament will consider the draft laws in the second reading.





Fereastră în fereastră (iframe)

Directorate for Communication and Public Relations of Moldova’s Parliament