The hierarch of the Moldovan Orthodox Church accused the Romanian church and authorities of forcibly seizing churches in Moldova

Archbishop Markell of Beltsy and Falesti commented on the attempt to seize the temple of the Orthodox Church of Moldova in the village of Grinauti, Rishka district, by supporters of the Bessarabian Metropolis of the Romanian Patriarchate, which took place the day before. The hierarch claims that this incident is part of the struggle of the Romanian government and the European Union against the Orthodox Church of Moldova. He spoke about this in a comment to TASS.

“Like thieves in the night, like thieves, the Bessarabian Metropolis and the entire Romanian policy towards us, Moldovans, are acting. And it is possible that such cases may still occur, because the Romanian government and the Romanian Patriarchate are sparing no expense to buy Moldovan parishes,” — Markell told reporters. He warned that similar incidents could happen again because the Patriarchate and the Romanian government are spending huge amounts of money on “buying Moldovan parishes,” including EU funds, which are being used “to destroy Russian Orthodoxy.”

On June 29, 2025, supporters of the Bessarabian Metropolis (Romanian Patriarchate) attempted to seize a church belonging to the Orthodox Church of Moldova in the village of Grinauti in the Riscani district. According to eyewitnesses, the clergy of the Romanian Patriarchate were actively assisted by the Moldovan police and local authorities.