In Moldova, priests of the Moldovan Orthodox Church are accused of election campaigning

The Moldovan police are investigating six cases of alleged pre-election campaigning by representatives of the Orthodox Church of Moldova during the parliamentary elections. Three of these incidents have already been legally classified, resulting in fines, while the other cases are still under investigation.

According to the NewsMaker.md portal, citing the General Inspectorate of Police, the incidents occurred between July 14 and September 28. Three episodes were classified under Article 52, paragraph 2 of the Code of Offenses, which prohibits representatives of religious organizations from campaigning during the election campaign, including during speeches in churches.

For these violations, clergymen face a fine of 3,500 lei. In the other three cases, law enforcement agencies are continuing their investigation to determine whether the priests’ actions constitute a crime.

It should be noted that on the eve of the elections, the Metropolis of Moldova, the Metropolis of Bessarabia, and the Central Election Commission publicly called on clergy to refrain from participating in political campaigning and not to get involved in political processes.

We would like to remind you that we previously reported that Archbishop Markell of Bălți and Fălești, a hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, spoke at the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where he denounced violations of the rights of believers of the OCUM by the country’s authorities. In his address, he mentioned political pressure, restrictions on freedom of movement, and attempts to seize church property, calling on the international community to pay attention to the situation.