Former Prime Minister of Moldova Ion Sturza considers that the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) does not exist de facto. “The CIS was invented with the aim of substituting the state that no longer exists – the Soviet Union - in the homo sovieticus (expression used in relation to people with nostalgia for the Soviet Union, e.n.) mentality,” Ion Sturza wrote on a social networking site, quoted by IPN.

The ex-Premier congratulated President Nicolae Timofti who delivered a harsh speech in relation to Russia at the Summit of CIS Heads of State in Belarus. “Good for you, Mister President! You sat at the table, not under it. This way we can be respected and heard,” said Ion Sturza.

As to the CIS, the former Prime Minster stated that nothing works in reality – neither the common economic area, nor the social and cultural areas. “Only ritual meetings of the post-Soviet leaders are held. Many of them are invited nowhere and thus can play the ‘chief’ at these meetings. Somebody should definitely show courage and renounce this pagan ritual,” wrote Ion Sturza.

The Commonwealth of Independent States is an alliance formed by former Soviet republics. The three Baltic countries – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania - never formed part of the CIS. Georgia left the CIS in 2008, while Ukraine announced its intention to leave it this year, after separatist manifestations in this country were supported by Russia. Formally, Ukraine still forms part of the CIS, but President Petro Poroshenko refused to take over the presidency of the CIS and to go to the summit in Minsk.

In his speech, President Nicolae Timofti said that Russia unjustifiably closed unilaterally its market for Moldovan products, trying thus to punish the country for choosing the European integration as its external development course.