On 15 October, the Government convened a meeting of the Council for the Examination of Investments of Importance for State Security (CEIISS), during which the activities of the Yandex group in the Republic of Moldova were also examined.
Following the examination of risks related to information security, personal data protection and the investor’s control structure, the Council decided to:
initiate an in-depth assessment of Yandex Go’s investment activities, including the group’s interference in investment activities in the Republic of Moldova;
request that Yandex Go submit, within 20 days, the documents and information provided for in Article 7(2) of Law No. 174/2021, including information on the ownership structure and beneficial owners;
request that the National Center for Personal Data Protection submit a detailed analytical report on how users’ data are collected, processed, stored and transferred, as well as on compliance with national personal data protection legislation.
We understand that a large number of citizens and drivers use this platform. This is precisely why we must investigate potential risks related to the unauthorized use of personal data, including the collection, storage and processing of, or unjustified access to, significant volumes of personal data belonging to citizens of the Republic of Moldova. Our priority remains ensuring safe services that strictly comply with confidentiality and security requirements and with national tax legislation.
The legislation provides CEIISS with a set of robust instruments to protect state security, including the imposition of conditions and restrictions on investments, measures that may lead to the divestment of shareholdings and assets, as well as the suspension of activities, under the conditions provided by law. The application of these measures will be considered in light of the assessment results and the risks identified.
We also emphasize that Yandex Go does not provide taxi services but grants the rights to use its platform. For using the platform, operators in the Republic of Moldova pay Yandex Go a commission of 12% of the fare, and 20% VAT is paid on the amount of this commission. For example, for a ride costing 100 lei, Yandex’s standard commission is 12 lei, while the VAT payable to the state on the import of this service amounts to 2.40 lei, subject to the applicable tax rules. Thus, in 2025, approximately 12.5 million lei in VAT on the commission received by Yandex was paid into the state budget.
In addition, taxes and contributions are paid into the state budget by operators registered in the Republic of Moldova. In 2025, taxi operators, including those using the Yandex platform, paid approximately 216 million lei in taxes and contributions, an increase of 42% compared with 2024. Of this amount, approximately 160 million lei consisted of personal income tax on salaries and taxi activities, social security contributions and mandatory health insurance premiums.
At the same time, the State Tax Service continuously monitors the activities of taxi operators. For example, during the first months of 2026, the State Tax Service identified discrepancies in approximately half of the rides completed by 8,781 drivers. Any tax violations identified will be sanctioned in accordance with the law, and tax evasion will not be tolerated. Inspections will continue, including to ensure the correct determination of the tax obligations of all market participants.
CEIISS will continue to provide transparent updates on the results of the assessment and the decisions taken.