CHISINAU (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th January, 2023) Moldova chose not to join the European Union's sanctions against Russia and Belarus due to a possible suspension of gas supplies that the country heavily relies on, Moldovan Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Daniel Voda said on Sunday.
"Moldova has not joined the sanctions against Russia and Belarus because of the risks of suspension of Russian gas supplies and the possible consequences of this move, which could have a negative impact on the economy in general," Voda told the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty broadcaster (designated as a foreign media agent in Russia).
He added that Chisinau regarded the EU's decision to introduce sanctions against Moscow in light of the special military operation in Ukraine with understanding.
"Moldova complies with the declarations and restrictive measures of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy by 60-80%," Voda said.
Earlier in the week, Moldovan media reported, citing a European Commission report due to be released soon, that Moldova has not aligned itself with the sanctions against Russia and lags behind other EU candidate countries in applying EU policies.
On June 23, 2022, the European Commission recommended granting an EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. In October, the latter held the first meeting of the EU integration commission, which discussed the need for reforms in various areas and called for the creation of 35 working groups to make local legislation correspond to European standards.
Moldova's membership in the CIS, which consists of nine member states, including Russia and Belarus, has become a topic of discussions since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine on February 24. In May, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said that the country should stay within the CIS as long as it meets its national interests.
