Approved by Government: Moldova launched procedures for permanent withdrawal from CIS statutory bodies

The Republic of Moldova has initiated procedures for its permanent withdrawal from the statutory bodies of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In this regard, the Government today approved draft laws on the denunciation of the Agreement establishing the CIS, signed in Minsk on 8 December 1991, the Protocol to this Agreement of 21 December 1991, as well as the CIS Statute, adopted in Minsk on 22 January 1993.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the denunciation of the Agreements is proposed "in the context of the Russian Federation’s failure to respect the values and fundamental principles of the Commonwealth, under which the states ‘recognize and mutually respect the territorial integrity and the inviolability of the existing borders within the Commonwealth’."

"The repeated violation of these fundamental principles, the act of aggression against Georgia, the illegal war against Ukraine, the occupation and annexation of the territories of these countries, and the illegal stationing of Russian military troops on the territory of the Republic of Moldova have undermined the role of the CIS as an organization meant to maintain peace and stability in the region," declared the State Secretary of the MFA, Sergiu Mihov.

At the same time, the MFA underlines that the denunciation of the CIS Agreement is a natural and inevitable step in the context of the process of accession to the European Union.

"The EU accession process inevitably requires the Republic of Moldova to renounce the obligations arising from the CIS framework, which are incompatible with the status of EU member state. Accordingly, in the context of the priorities of the Republic of Moldova as a candidate state for EU accession, renouncing the obligations stemming from CIS membership is a measure to ensure compliance with the commitments assumed vis-à-vis the EU. The denunciation of the CIS Agreement and Statute is a natural step to achieve the strategic objective of European integration provided for in the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova," stated Sergiu Mihov.

Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu stated that this "is a decision long awaited by society, by the absolute majority of our citizens." "Of course, we have carried out the necessary research and have reviewed the legal aspects, and now we are ready also from an ethical point of view, in line with all the acts of violation of all norms undertaken by the Russian Federation. We have every right and the responsibility towards society to denounce these agreements," he said.

The MFA emphasized that the denunciation of these founding CIS treaties does not entail and does not predetermine the termination of the Republic of Moldova’s participation in other agreements concluded within the CIS that bring concrete benefits to our citizens and to the national economy. Thus, the Republic of Moldova will continue to apply, in its relations with CIS member states, those treaties mainly in the commercial and economic fields, such as the Free Trade Area Agreement, as long as they serve the country’s economic interests.

At the same time, the free movement of citizens of the Republic of Moldova in CIS states will likewise not be affected by this decision, as it is regulated largely through bilateral agreements in force, the MFA notes. The denunciation of the status of CIS participating state will also generate savings for the state budget of about 3.1 million lei annually (the yearly membership contribution).

Over the past two years, the Republic of Moldova has initiated an extensive process of reviewing the relevance and applicability of the treaties concluded within the CIS. So far, out of 283 CIS agreements, 71 have already been denounced by our country, and approximately 60 are under review. The draft laws are to be submitted to Parliament for consideration and vote.