State expects EOC to break all ties with Russian Church by summer

The Estonian government plans that the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (EOC MP – ed.) will break all ties with the Moscow Patriarchate by the summer of 2025. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic expects that the anti-church bill submitted to the Riigikogu will help in this. This is reported by ERR.EE.

It is reported that this bill stipulates that a church, monastery or other religious association operating in Estonia cannot be governed by a charter and other fundamental documents or be economically linked to a foreign governing body, spiritual center, spiritual leader or community that poses a threat to the security, public or constitutional order of Estonia. There can also be no connection with a person or institution that incites war, terrorist crimes, violence or supports military aggression. After the amendments come into force, churches and parishes, which by law will have to bring their charters and principles of activity in line with the law, will be granted a two-month transition period.

“We hope that in the spring the Diet will approve the draft amendments to the Law on Churches and Parishes, and by the summer it will come into force,” – said Ringo Ringwei, an adviser on religious affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Earlier, we reported that Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal commented on the possible ban of the Estonian Orthodox Church in the country through the adoption of a law. Mihal believes that the law is justified because the Estonian Church is led by people “close to the Russian president.”