The Republic of Moldova will not take over the co-presidency of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2017 and then the presidency of this organization in 2018. To an inquiry by IPN, the Government answered that the decision is influenced by a number of factors, including the fact that the country will be in an electoral year in 2018.

“The Government of the Republic of Moldova informed beforehand the CIS partners about the difficulties that we will face if we take over the co-presidency in 2017 and the presidency of the CIS the next year, invoking, in particular, the financial constraints and the fact that 2018 is an electoral year with all the consequences that derive from these circumstances,” the executive says in its answer to IPN.

The Government also said that the county will be unable to effectively cover all the areas of cooperation within the CIS given that traditionally it does not take part in interaction in the military and security areas.

After the Republic of Moldova, the CIS presidency is to be taken over by the Russian Federation.