Moldova's parliament has approved legislation in its second reading that paves the way for shutting down Russia's cultural centre in Chișinău.

Source: Moldovan media outlet NewsMaker, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Fifty-seven MPs voted in favour on 27 November.

The draft law terminating the agreement with Russia on establishing and operating cultural centres was prepared at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after Russian drones violated Moldova's airspace in February 2025.

The Russian cultural centre has been operating in Chișinău since 2009, while Moldova has yet to establish a similar facility in Russia.

The parliament also noted that the Russian cultural centre is subordinate to the Russian Embassy and financed by Rossotrudnichestvo, which is under international sanctions. [Rossotrudnichestvo is a Russian agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and cultural exchange – ed.]

"Within the EU, Rossotrudnichestvo is classified as a key state body projecting the Kremlin's soft power and hybrid influence, including promoting the so-called 'Russian world' concept," the parliament added. [The "Russian world" or "Russkyi Mir" is the general idea of the superiority of Russian Orthodoxy, culture, language, etc., widely promoted by pro-Kremlin figures – ed.]

The authors of the termination proposal also pointed out that, in the current geopolitical context, "the agreement with Russia could be used to advance distorted narratives, posing a threat to Moldova's information security".

Background:

• The idea of closing the Russian House in Chișinău emerged in February 2025 after another incident involving the fall of Russian drones on Moldovan territory during attacks on Ukrainian ports in Odesa Oblast.
• Following parliamentary elections and the formation of a new government in early November, Moldova took the next step towards terminating the agreement with Russia on cultural centres, which will result in the closure of the Russian House in Chișinău.

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