Moldova Obliged to Pay Arrears of Membership Fees Before Withdrawing from the CIS IPA

Moldova must pay off $340,000 in arrears on membership fees before withdrawing from the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly (IPA). This is stated in a draft government decision published by the Finance Ministry. “The payment of the debt to the IPA CIS is conditioned by the deadline (08.02.2024) for the completion of Moldova’s withdrawal from membership in the organization,” the explanatory note to the document specifies. Moldova’s attitude towards the Commonwealth began to change after Maia Sandu had won the presidential election in 2020 and the Party of Action and Solidarity established by the president had come to power in 2021. Sandu has never participated in CIS summits; in 2023, Chisinau’s rhetoric towards the Commonwealth hardened: Foreign Minister Nicolae Popescu announced Chisinau’s decision to denounce about a third of the agreements concluded within the CIS. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called Chisinau’s policy two-faced, noting that, having declared their desire to leave the CIS, the Moldovan authorities are in no hurry to give up the socio-economic benefits of participation in the Commonwealth.