MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. Moldova is currently doing nothing to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), despite the statements to this effect by some of its politicians, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev said in an interview with TASS.

He noted that some politicians in Moldova are calling for the republic’s withdrawal from the CIS. However, in his words, such calls enjoy no support from the country’s leaders. "That is why, frankly speaking, I am glad and satisfied that so far no practical steps to quit from the Commonwealth of Independent States are being taken in Moldova. As for the denunciation of some agreements or treaties, we cannot cite any such examples either," he said.

According to Lebedev, cooperation within the CIS is still advantageous for Moldova. "Yes, there have been statements that it is worth thinking about whether it would be expedient to remain within the Commonwealth in light of the current Moldovan government’s orientation toward Europe. But practice proves and life shows that cooperation within the CIS remains profitable for Moldova. It facilitates trade on advantageous terms, transportation of goods. And there are many other elements in the CIS that are useful and advantageous for Moldova," he added.

Moldova’s attitude to the CIS began to change after Maia Sandu won presidential election in 2020. She has never attended any of the CIS summits. This year, Moldova’s rhetoric concerning the Commonwealth has toughened, with Foreign Minister Nicolae Popescu saying that the government sees no need for the republic to stay within the CIS and announcing the denunciation of a number of CIS agreements.

This position is not shared by the opposition. Moreover, some members of the government formed by the ruling party also disagree with it. Thus, Moldovan Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vladimir Bolea said that the withdrawal from the CIS, a major importer of Moldovan agricultural products, would entail problems for Moldovan farmers, who are facing a grave crisis. The minister said that a decision on this matter is to be made by the Moldovan people.