Czech government considers sanctions against ROC Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

The Czech government is considering imposing sanctions on Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), a hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church who currently resides in Karlovy Vary. This was based on information about his alleged ties to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), as reported by local media.

According to Deník N, Metropolitan Hilarion, previously considered the second most important person in the Russian Orthodox Church, has been in the Czech Republic for a year. It was this publication’s investigation that revealed his possible contacts with the Russian security services.

According to information Deník N received from three independent and well-informed sources, the government, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, is considering adding the hierarch to the national sanctions list. It is reported that “all state structures of the Czech Republic are carefully” studying this situation.

Recall, earlier we reported that the Senate Committee on Security of the Czech Senate called on the government to initiate an inspection of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia on the subject of cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church. The committee believes that the CESO, through its cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church, has come under the influence of Russian special services.