European Politician Warns Estonia Against Excessive Interference in the Affairs of the Orthodox Church

Former European Commissioner Jan Figel criticized the actions of the Estonian authorities regarding the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church (EOCC), stating that the campaign to forcibly sever ties with the Moscow Patriarchate goes beyond the bounds of national security and amounts to unlawful interference in religious affairs. As reported by on Standard.sk, such measures threaten the fundamental principles of democracy and freedom of religion.

Since 2022, the Estonian government has intensified pressure on the Orthodox community: from refusing to extend Metropolitan Evgeny’s residence permit to forcibly changing the church’s official name in 2025. Although the Estonian Orthodox Church has taken steps toward administrative and financial independence, the authorities continue to insist on a complete severance of canonical ties. Fiegel emphasizes that the state has no right to dictate theological loyalty or determine the canonical order of a religious organization.

The former commissioner notes that the fight against foreign influence or illegal activities should be conducted through legal mechanisms and the prosecution of specific violations, rather than through the collective punishment of believers. Although the Estonian Supreme Court ruled in June 2026 that the legislative amendments were constitutional, Figel points to a “legal vacuum”: the court’s ruling ignored the question of whether a secular state has the right to engineer the restructuring of its citizens’ religious lives.

In conclusion, Jan Figel warns that the Estonian precedent could set a dangerous example for other European countries. He calls on Tallinn to abandon coercive methods, reminding that freedom of conscience must be protected precisely when the choices of believers do not align with the state’s geopolitical interests. According to the politician, Europe must choose between short-term geopolitical convenience and the preservation of long-term human rights standards.

As a reminder, we previously reported that Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro proposed terminating the lease agreement for the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church ahead of schedule, calling the cathedral a “symbol of Russification.”