CHISINAU, April 8. /TASS/. Moldova's withdrawal from key CIS treaties - the Commonwealth’s founding act, the Charter, and the Alma-Ata Declaration - has been officially approved by President Maia Sandu and has now taken effect. The announcement was published by an official news outlet on Wednesday.
Following this decision, Moldova is required to notify the CIS Executive Committee. The withdrawal process will be finalized after a 12-month notice period. Despite stepping back from these foundational documents, the country intends to remain a party to several agreements related to economic cooperation, notably the free trade zone agreement. CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev, responding to inquiries from Moldovan legislators, highlighted that 208 CIS treaties remain in force for Moldova, with 104 pertaining specifically to economic cooperation. However, he cautioned that withdrawing from the Charter could hinder Moldova's ability to fully implement the provisions of many of these treaties.
Moldova’s stance towards the CIS has shifted notably since Maia Sandu’s election victory in 2020, which signaled a pivot towards European Union integration and a reluctance to participate in Commonwealth summits. In February 2023, the Moldovan government announced plans to denounce over 120 CIS agreements. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that Moldova has already completed internal procedures to withdraw from 70 of these treaties.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Chisinau’s approach, describing it as duplicitous. She pointed out that while Moldova claims to seek exit from the CIS, its authorities are still benefiting from the socioeconomic advantages of membership.