Moldova Voted to Leave the CIS—the Decision Will Take Effect in a Year

Moldova’s parliament approved the denunciation of key agreements with the Commonwealth of Independent States, clearing the way for the country’s withdrawal from the bloc.

The relevant bills were backed by 60 of the 101 lawmakers, Interfax reported. Representatives of the Communist Party and the Socialist Party voted against them, warning that a break with the CIS “would have catastrophic consequences” for the economy.

The approved documents must still be signed by the country’s president, after which the Foreign Ministry will send formal notice to the CIS Executive Committee. The withdrawal process will be formally completed in 12 months.

Moldovan authorities first announced their intention to leave the organization in December 2023—after Vladimir Putin remarked that the country’s participation in the CIS “has little value”: “If that is what they want, then let them do it.”

Georgia previously left the CIS in 2008, and Ukraine followed in 2018.