PARLIAMENT ADOPTS IN FINAL READING LAW ON MOLDOVA'S WITHDRAWAL FROM CIS INTERPARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

On Friday, the Parliament adopted in final reading a law on denunciation of the agreement on Moldova's membership in the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS countries. 53 deputies from the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) voted in favor of the decision. Deputies from the opposition Bloc of Communists and Socialists (BCS) voted against it, criticized the initiative and called to withdraw it from the agenda.

The initiative to withdraw from the CIS IPA belongs to Speaker Igor Grosu, who said that Moldova's current policy "no longer resonates with the current policies, goals and decisions within the CIS."

The government representatives believe that "Moldova will continue to maintain inter-parliamentary relations with the CIS countries at the bilateral level, including through friendship groups". According to them, the denunciation of the Agreement will not affect Moldova's rights and obligations towards other participants and third parties. In addition, the withdrawal from the Assembly will save money - this year Moldova had to pay a membership fee of 5.8 million lei (about 330 thousand dollars).

The Agreement on the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS) was adopted on May 26, 1995. Moldova became a full member of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly on June 2, 1998.