Moldovan MP Reports Interrogations and Intimidation of Clergy

Moldovan Member of Parliament from the «Victory» bloc, Vasile Bolea, has reported increasing pressure on clergy of the Orthodox Church of Moldova. According to him, bishops and priests are being summoned and intimidated by the security services. This was reported by RIA Novosti.

The politician expressed outrage that in a country which claims to uphold freedom of conscience, religious figures are being targeted and harassed:
“People who go to church and take communion on Sundays are interrogating and intimidating priests on Mondays. This is pure hypocrisy. Respect for faith and human dignity should not depend on one’s official position,” he stated.

“In recent times, more and more priests and hierarchs of the Moldovan Metropolis have been subjected to interrogations and intimidation. Bishop Anatolii of the Cahul and Comrat Diocese was summoned to the SIS (Information and Security Service) for a ‘preventive conversation’ because of his participation in events held in Gagauzia,” the MP wrote on his Telegram channel.

Bolea reminded that the Church in Moldova is officially separated from the state, meaning clergy have the full right to attend any events within their diocese, regardless of who organizes them. He described such «conversations» as degrading and a form of pressure.

It should be recalled that on June 15, 2025, police in Chișinău violently dispersed a religious procession held by local Orthodox Christians in protest of a gay pride parade taking place the same day. Law enforcement officers reportedly beat the faithful during the crackdown.