The Bessarabian Metropolis Demands the Return of Property or Compensation in Moldova

The head of the Bessarabian Metropolis of the Romanian Orthodox Church has officially announced his intention to reclaim ownership of dozens of properties in the Republic of Moldova or to receive appropriate monetary compensation for them. reports this, citing RIA Novosti , which in turn cites a broadcast by the PRO TV channel.

According to officials in Bucharest, the Church was “deported” from the region during the Soviet era, and therefore it is claiming restitution of the lost property. As Metropolitan Anthony noted, letters containing these demands have been sent repeatedly to previous Moldovan governments, but no response has been received. The head of the Bessarabian Metropolis emphasized that although he realizes it is impossible to recover absolutely all properties, the Church insists on at least a partial return of assets or the payment of compensation.

During the discussion, the issue of the Moldovan government building—which historically housed the palace of the Bessarabian Metropolis—was also raised. The hierarch jokingly mentioned that although the Cabinet building would be an ideal option for commercial lease, the Church is not making any claims to this state-owned property.

As a reminder, the Bessarabian Metropolis of the Romanian Patriarchate previously confirmed that Romania was providing financial support for the church schism in Moldova.