Moldova confirms the CIS accords will be withdrawn gradually and selectively

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration revealed on April 20 that Moldova is in the process of canceling several of the agreements negotiated under the auspices of the Russian-led Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu declared in February that the government was assessing several CIS-sponsored agreements and would revoke any that did not serve national interests.

Thus, this week, the Moldovan government passed a bill to withdraw from the agreement on international legal guarantees for the Mir TV and radio company.

This confirmation was a response to a statement by CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev, who said that Moldova was not taking steps to withdraw from the organization.

“Frankly speaking, I am pleased and satisfied that no concrete measures have been taken to withdraw Moldova from the CIS. As for the denunciation of some agreements and contracts, we cannot yet provide facts,” Lebid said.

Popescu noted that a large number of CIS-related agreements will be rejected since they are no longer necessary, useless, or detrimental to Moldova. Popescu asserts that agreements that conflict with Chisinau’s foreign policy aims will be rejected first and that Moldova’s foreign policy objectives are now in line with the process of European integration.

Since President Maia Sandu and her Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) were elected, Moldova has become more pro-EU while not implementing sanctions against Russia. Sandu also suggested that Chisinau would end its military neutrality and apply for NATO membership when Moldova was granted EU candidate status in the summer of 2022, which incensed Russian officials.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian intelligence earlier this year warned Moldovan officials that Russia was planning to destabilize Moldova, and several Russian citizens, including the head of the Republic of Tatarstan, were denied entry to Moldova.

We can observe Moldova’s response to Russia and its influencers, and it can serve as a model for the majority of nations where Russian influencers are attempting to disrupt the situation in various nations.