Republic of Moldova to denounce another CIS agreement

The Republic of Moldova has initiated the procedure to denounce an agreement signed in 1993 with the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on the distribution of freight wagon and container fleets, a decision supported by an advisory opinion approved by the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy.

According to the parliament’s communication and public relations department, the initiative to denounce the agreement was put forward by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. At the time of its signing, the document was aimed at ensuring the continuity of rail freight transport and avoiding economic blockages during the transition period following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

On the basis of the agreement, the freight wagon and container fleets of the former Ministry of Communications Routes of the USSR were divided among CIS states and other former Soviet states, and a framework for their joint use was established.

The authorities note that the provisions of the agreement are no longer applicable today, since the division of assets was carried out approximately three decades ago and the envisaged cooperation mechanisms are no longer used. Currently, cooperation in the railway sector takes place under modern bilateral and multilateral agreements.

In addition, the document is considered incompatible with the process of reform and modernization of the railway sector in the Republic of Moldova, in the context of alignment with European Union standards. At the same time, the authorities cite the risks associated with maintaining legal arrangements originating from the CIS area, highlighted in the context of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The denunciation of the agreement is part of a broader process of reviewing treaties concluded within the CIS framework, in order to adapt the legislative and economic framework of the Republic of Moldova to European norms and standards.

On Friday, Parliament voted in first reading to denounce the Agreement on the Establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), its related Protocol, as well as the CIS Statute.

Over the past two years, the Republic of Moldova has launched a broad process to examine the relevance and applicability of treaties concluded within the CIS framework. So far, of the 283 CIS agreements, 71 have already been denounced, and about 60 are under review.