Parliament decision
On 27 November Moldova's parliament voted in the second reading to denounce the agreement with Russia on the creation and operation of cultural centres. Fifty-seven deputies voted for the bill. The "Russian House" in Chișinău will be closed.
Reasons and reaction
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs drafted the proposal after Russian drones violated Moldova's airspace in February 2025. The MFA handed a note of protest to the Russian ambassador; a Russian drone was brought to the ministry building.
Supporters of the denunciation point out that the centre is subordinate to the Russian embassy and funded by "Rossotrudnichestvo", which is under international sanctions.
In the EU "Rossotrudnichestvo" is described as the main state body projecting the Kremlin's soft power and its hybrid influence, including the promotion of the so‑called "Russian world" concept
History of the agreement
The agreement between Moldova and Russia was signed in 1998. Under it, a Russian cultural centre was opened in Chișinău in 2009. The initiative's authors stress that, in current conditions, the treaty can be used to spread distorted narratives and pose a threat to Moldova's information security.
