The Government of the Republic of Moldova approved the denunciation of seven agreements previously signed with the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). One of these, signed in 1992 in Bishkek, allowed CIS citizens to travel visa-free within the territories of member states.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popșoi said the decision does not affect travel conditions for Moldovan citizens or for citizens of most CIS states.
“The decision changes nothing for our citizens and the citizens of the CIS states. The Republic of Moldova signed bilateral agreements with almost all the countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States, and travel continues under these agreements. The changes will only affect Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which do not have such agreements with our country,” Popșoi said.
The Russian Federation denounced this agreement in 2000, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan did so in 2001, and Turkmenistan renounced it in 1999.
In addition to the visa-free travel agreement, the government terminated several outdated agreements, including those on cooperation in chemistry and petrochemistry, ecology, and the use of compressed natural gas as motor fuel.
Moldova also withdrew from the agreement establishing principles of indirect taxation on exports and imports among CIS member states, as well as from the agreement on improving settlements between economic organizations of member countries. Another agreement defined the principles and procedures for military transport, signed in Tashkent on 15 May 1992.
“These agreements do not benefit the citizens of the Republic of Moldova — some did not function, and others were already denounced by the founding members,” Minister Popsoi emphasized.
So far, the Republic of Moldova has denounced 64 CIS agreements that either lost relevance or did not bring benefits to its citizens.