Moldova officially notifies Russia on cultural center closure
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) has officially notified its counterpart in Moscow about the closure of the Russian Cultural Center in Chișinău.
The denunciation process will take effect within six months of the official notification. Consequently, the bilateral agreement is set to expire on July 4, 2026.
The MAE confirmed that all necessary internal procedures were completed for the denunciation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Government of the Russian Federation on the establishment and operation of cultural centers. This agreement was originally signed on October 30, 1998, and entered into force on July 4, 2001.
According to its provisions, the agreement was concluded for an initial five-year period and was subsequently automatically renewed for successive five-year intervals.
The Parliament of Moldova previously approved the Agreement Denunciation during its session on November 27, with the vote of 57 deputies.
Based on the 1998 Moscow document, the Russian Federation opened the Russian Cultural Center in Chișinău in 2009. However, the principle of reciprocity, which was expressly stipulated in the agreement, was never fulfilled, as Moldova has not established a cultural center on Russian territory to date.
The Ministry of Culture drafted the denunciation project at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, following a severe Russian drone airspace violation in February 2025.
The Russian Federation's Embassy in Moldova promptly criticized the Chișinău authorities’ decision, labeling the denunciation as "wrong" and "counterproductive." The diplomatic mission stated that the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Chișinău operates in line with local legislation and its sole purpose is "to maintain cultural and humanitarian dialogue."
Furthermore, the Russian Federation established a similar center in the Transnistrian region without the explicit permission of the Chișinău authorities.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
