Moldovan parliament denounces agreement between governments of Moldova and Russia on cultural centers

The parliament approved the draft law denouncing the Agreement between the governments of Moldova and the Russian Federation on the establishment and operation of cultural centers. The decision was supported, in the first reading, by 60 MPs of the factions of the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) the Democracy at Home Party (PDA). Thirty five MPs of the factions of the Party of Socialists (PSRM), Party of Communists (PCRM), the Alternative and Our Party, as well as one unaffiliated lawmaker voted against it.

The PSRM faction asked for the removal of this draft from the agenda, but the initiative did not get the necessary number of votes.

The draft on denunciation was developed by the Ministry of Culture, which argues that, in the context of the current geopolitical situation and the high risk of disinformation, the Agreement with the Russian Federation can be used as a tool for promoting distorted narratives, presenting a risk to the informational security of  Moldova.

At the same time, given that Moldova does not have a cultural center on the territory of the Russian Federation, there is no fair mechanism for promoting information about Moldova, which undermines the balance and the initial purpose of the Agreement.

Minister of Culture Cristian Jardan, in parliament’s plenum, said that the Agreement had been signed in Moscow in 1998 and entered into force in July 2001. Based on the document, the Russian Federation opened the Russian Cultural Center in Chisinau in 2009. Since the ratification of the Agreement, Moldova has not established a cultural center in the Russian Federation.

“The Russian Cultural Center is under the direct administration of the Russian Federation's Embassy in Chisinau and is funded by the Russian Agency “Rossotrudnichestvo”, an institution directly subordinated to the Russian presidency. This has been subjected to international sanctions, being described by the EU as “the main state agency that projects the Kremlin's soft power and hybrid influence, including promoting the so-called Russkiy Mir (Russian World) concept”, said the minister.





Cristian Jardan noted that “Rossotrudnichestvo” is led by Evghenii Primakov, the son of the former Russian Prime Minister, and immediately after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova announced the denunciation of this agreement, in March 2025, by a Russian presidential decree, Igor Chayka was appointed as the president of this agency, which manages the Russian House in Chisinau.

“On May 30, 2023, this Igor Chayka, a cultural person, entered the European Union's sanctions list for actions of destabilization in Moldova. Between 2017 and 2025, Igor Chayka was a member of the Coordination Council of the Delovaya Rossia Association”, Jardan added.

PSRM MP, Deputy Parliament Speaker Vlad Batrincea said that the evidence presented by the Minister of Culture was not convincing, and the Socialist Faction would not support the decision to denounce the agreement.

“The accusations are serious; if you convince us, maybe we will make other statements, but at the moment I saw that you read what someone prepared for you, but I did not see any data. Ms. Lascionova organized many, hundreds of educational activities together with Mr. Costetschi, who was rector and yes, 550 young people enjoyed studies in Moscow. What alternative do you propose to them? Zero. The Socialists’ fraction will not support this draft; it is useless, dangerous, and intends to divert the public's attention from truly important subjects”, declared Vlad Batrincea.

The Communists insisted on a “common historical heritage” preserved by the Russian cultural centers and stressed that their dismantling would have negative effects.

“If the rupture of economic relations with the Russian Federation had a negative effect, the breaking of cultural and scientific relations will also have a negative, but very long-lasting effect. The agreement on setting up cultural centers is about preserving the common cultural space, which unites our peoples. This agreement is about preserving the common historical heritage, common heroes, popular and cultural diplomacy. Closing the cultural center will not affect the Russian people, but will affect the Moldovan people”, declared the communist MP Inga Sobova.

MP Radu Marian brought two examples of the activity of the Russian cultural center:

“In 2022, “Rossotrudnichestvo” produced two brochures: “The Civil War in Ukraine: 2014-2022” and “The Massive War Crimes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Nazi Units in Mariupol and Volnovakha”. Materials full of lies, justifying Russian aggression in Ukraine. Russia attacked Ukraine, committed war crimes, killed thousands of civilians and they make these brochures through this organization. On November 30, 2021, the so-called Cultural Center hosted in Chisinau the screening of the film “Opolchenochka” - about the war in Donbass, about the fate of the inhabitants, presented from the perspective of the fighters of self-proclaimed territories (LNR/DNR) - promoting pro-Russian narratives also found in Russia's justifications for the war started in 2022 against Ukraine.”

This was a response to some opposition MPs, who were concerned that after closing the center, children would have nowhere to go.

“For those who will dare to claim that this project harms Russian culture, I want to assure you of our full consideration for the great Russian culture. We admire Mihail Bulgakov's books, who was harassed and not published, we admire the plays of Evgeny Schwartz, which, as soon as they were written, were banned. We respect Russian culture, we sincerely respect it - Pasternak who was not published, Brodsky, who was harassed, exiled, and expelled from the country, Solzhenitsyn, harassed, and expelled from the country. We admire Russian actors and performers: Grebenshikov - emigrated, Makarevich - emigrated, Alla Pugacheva - left the country, Lia Akhedzhakova - fired from the theater, Yuri Shevchuk, whose concerts were banned”, noted PAS deputy Marcel Spatari in his speech.

Deputy Parliament Speaker Doina Gherman said that the Moldovan respected the Russian people, culture, and traditions by the fact that there are over 260 schools teaching in Russian in the country, the A. Pushkin house-museum operates in Chisinau, and the Dimitrie Cantemir Theoretical Lyceum in Balti benefited from European support for the renovation of the building.

“This high school teaching in Russian, where over 1,000 children study, benefited from European funds worth 39.8 million euros from 2020-2023. The works included thermal insulation of the building, installation of drainage systems, installation of 25 photovoltaic panels, kitchen modernization, and sanitary equipment, etc. This is respect and appreciation”, added Doina Gherman.

And MP Constantin Cheianu said that neither he nor his colleagues had been  invited to any action organized by the Russian cultural center in Chisinau.

“Dear MPs defenders of the Russian cultural center, did you know that November could be declared the month of Russian culture in Chisinau and this center has no involvement in this matter? In November, one of Russia's best actors, Danila Kozlovsky, will come to Chisinau with a performance. Also in November, one of the most valuable artists and performers, Didiulea, will perform in Chisinau. Also in November, for the third time, Masha Mashkova, another remarkable Russian actress, will come, and in November the performances of two of the best stand-up comedians Ruslan Bely and Alexandr Nezlobin are scheduled. Masha Mashkova fled Putin's war and settled in the U.S., where she is rehearsing a play based on Davlatov's works. Do you know where the world premiere of this play will take place? In Chisinau. Do you know who is truly promoting Russian culture in Moldova? The government of Moldova.”

At the same time, MP Lilian Carp denied the information presented by some opposition colleagues, who claimed that Russian cultural centers operate in EU countries, noting that Russian cultural centers have been closed in over 10 countries, including Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, the Czech Republic and Ukraine.

The denunciation of the Agreement was initiated in February 2025, at a request by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following a serious violation of the airspace of Moldova by Russian drones.