Moldova to terminate another 60 CIS agreements

The Republic of Moldova is continuing the process of withdrawing from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and the authorities in Chișinău are set to terminate about 60 agreements that remain in force. Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi maintains that belonging to this organization no longer brings benefits to the country, instead generating expenses and damages.

According to the official, the process of leaving the CIS began two years ago, during which time the Republic of Moldova has already terminated around 70 agreements. Popșoi assured that the authorities are keeping only those agreements that still have practical utility, such as the one concerning the free trade area, although even this has been affected by restrictions imposed by the Russian Federation.


“We started leaving the CIS about two years ago. We have withdrawn from around 70 agreements, and another approximately 60 are in the process of being terminated. These are agreements that weigh on us as a burden and do not bring any benefit to our citizens. We are not touching the agreements that provide at least some benefit, such as the free trade agreement. But even there, problems have arisen – we remember the embargoes. Not even this agreement prevented Kremlin from imposing restrictions on our products,” Popșoi told TV8.




The deputy prime minister emphasized that withdrawal from the CIS is a strategic decision that reflects the development path chosen by the citizens, and that maintaining member status also entailed unnecessary costs for the public budget.


“It is important that we carry this process through to the end. As a country, we must clearly show, both internally and externally, what our strategic vision is. CIS membership status has not brought anything positive to the Republic of Moldova. We were spending approximately three million lei annually without any real benefit. There were no positive impulses from this organization,” Popșoi underlined.


At the same time, the deputy prime minister rejected the idea that withdrawal from the CIS is linked to the recent actions of the Russian Federation, including attacks in the region:


“I do not see a direct connection. This is a process that started earlier, based on objective arguments. The war has been going on for years, and such correlations are not justified.”


Popșoi specified that the authorities will seek compensation from the Russian Federation for the damages caused by the attack on the Isaccea–Vulcănești high-voltage power line. Repair work is currently under way, after which the impact will be assessed and diplomatic steps initiated.

The Republic of Moldova officially joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 1994, after Parliament ratified the Founding Agreement on April 8. Although it had signed the declaration establishing the organization back in 1991, its status as a full member was confirmed later, through ratification.

Starting in 2023, Chișinău authorities launched the process of withdrawing from several CIS agreements as part of efforts to align with the standards and policies of the European Union.