On 13 November, the Moldovan parliament approved by a majority vote in the first reading the denunciation of the 1998 agreement with Russia and the closure of the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Chisinau. Moldova’s pro-European authorities accuse the centre of subversion and endangering state security.
After several hours of intense debate, the denunciation of the agreement with Russia was supported by 54 MPs from the centre-right Action and Solidarity (PAS) party and six MPs from the Democracy at Home faction. The Communists, Socialists, the Alternative bloc and Our Party voted against, with a total of 35 votes. A vote on the second reading is expected in 10 days, Radio Liberty’s Moldovan service said.
Presenting the proposal to denounce the agreement with Russia at the parliament plenary session, Culture Minister Cristian Jardan said that the Russian centre was being used as a tool to promote propaganda rather than Russian culture in Moldova. According to the minister, the authorities have identified “obvious elements of disinformation activities and justification of Russian aggression in Ukraine”.
Igor Dodon, leader of the Socialist faction in parliament, called for the project to be withdrawn from the agenda, saying that “the government has not provided clear arguments” and that denouncing the agreement “contradicts the interests of the majority of citizens”. Dodon’s colleague from the faction, deputy speaker Vlad Betrincha, called the possible denunciation of the agreement with Russia a “dangerous project” that could “bring people to the barricades”.
The centre in Chisinau, also known as the Russian House, was opened in 2009. If the denunciation of the agreement with Moscow on its activities is approved on second reading and promulgated by President Maia Sandu, the centre is due to cease operations in July 2026.
The Russian Embassy in Moldova called Chisinau’s decision to close the Russian House wrong and counterproductive.