CHISINAU, August 29. /TASS/. Moldova’s hopes to retain the benefits of cooperation within the CIS after leaving this organization will be dashed, Russian ambassador to Chisinau Oleg Ozerov said in an interview with TASS.

"The statements by Moldovan officials about the possibility of retaining the advantages of agreements within the CIS format after leaving the association are highly likely to turn out to be unrealistic. Moldova risks losing membership in a number of treaties, including the Free Trade Zone, as they are inextricably linked to other documents that are limited only to the countries of the Commonwealth. This is precisely the conclusion that was announced on June 19 following a meeting of experts from the CIS states on issues related to the inventory and Chisinau’s further participation in the agreements it signed," the Russian diplomat said.

He said that Chisinau’s pragmatic approach to cooperation with Russia and the countries of the post-Soviet space has yielded tangible benefits.

"The GDP grew by almost 41% in 2011-2021," the Russian diplomat noted.