The Moldovan authorities have initiated the process of canceling three core agreements that have underpinned the country’s membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). According to Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi, this step represents a formal and legal withdrawal from the organization, while Moldova’s de facto participation had already ceased earlier.
Speaking on Radio Moldova on Monday, January 19, Popșoi explained that once these agreements lose legal force, Moldova will officially no longer be part of the CIS. He emphasized that the practical aspects of membership had effectively been suspended long before the current legal procedures began.
The deputy prime minister and foreign minister specified that the denunciation concerns three documents: the CIS Charter signed in Minsk on January 22, 1993; the agreement on the establishment of the CIS dated December 8, 1991; and the additional protocol adopted on December 22, 1991.
According to Popșoi, the denunciation process is already underway, and members of parliament are expected to review the relevant documents at the very start of the upcoming parliamentary session. He noted that government procedures could be completed by mid-February, after which the final decision would be taken by parliament.
The foreign minister described the termination of CIS-related agreements as an important step in strengthening Moldova’s European orientation. He added that Moldova has signed a total of 283 agreements within the CIS framework, 71 of which have already been denounced, while around 60 more are currently in the process of being canceled.
At the same time, Popșoi stressed that Chişinău does not intend to abandon agreements that bring economic benefits or have practical value for citizens, provided they do not contradict the country’s European integration path.