The Republic of Moldova is taking another step in distancing itself from agreements inherited from the post-Soviet period. The Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy approved an advisory opinion on the denunciation of a 1993 agreement signed with Commonwealth of Independent States countries and other former Soviet states, which regulated the distribution of freight wagons and containers of the former USSR Ministry of Railways.
The initiative to denounce the treaty was proposed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. According to the authors, the agreement played an essential role immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union, ensuring continuity in freight rail transport and preventing economic disruptions during the transition period. Under the agreement, the fleet of wagons and containers was divided among successor states, with rules established for their shared use.
However, authorities say the document has lost its relevance. The division of railway assets was completed around three decades ago, and the mechanisms set out in the agreement are no longer applied today. Instead, cooperation with railway administrations in other countries is now carried out based on modern bilateral and multilateral agreements.
At the same time, the 1993 agreement no longer aligns with the reform and modernization of Moldova’s railway sector, especially in the context of alignment with European Union standards. Authorities also highlight the risks of maintaining outdated legal mechanisms, particularly in the context of the ongoing war of aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
The denunciation of this agreement is part of a broader process of reviewing treaties concluded within the CIS framework, alongside efforts to modernize the legislative and economic framework and move closer to European norms.