Estonian lawmakers approve changes to church legislation, as reported by ERR.
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MOSCOW, May 14 - RIA Novosti. The Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) is set to make changes to the draft law on churches and parishes, with proposals for amendments set to be adopted by the end of May, according to ERR TV and radio company reports.
"On Wednesday, the Riigikogu voted against re-adopting the Law on Churches and Parishes in its unaltered form. The deadline for submitting amendment proposals is now May 28," the statement noted.
The decision to revise the law comes in response to the positions of the president and the need to bring it into line with the constitution.
Earlier, the Estonian Parliament passed a law ending the canonical connection of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church (EOCC, formerly the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). The EOCC expressed concern that the amendments constituted a restriction on religious freedom and a direct attack against it, and threatened to seek help from international organizations.
President Alar Karis told Estonian newspaper Postimees that he did not support the amendment against the Orthodox Church, as it contradicts certain constitutional provisions related to the freedom of association and religion.
Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, advisor to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, previously stated that the amendments to the law on churches and parishes infringe upon religious freedom and contradict international documents on freedom of conscience and the Estonian constitution itself.
The recent changes target foreign influence over Estonian religious organizations, with a specific impact on the EOCC's relationship with the Moscow Patriarchate. This move, driven by national security concerns amid ongoing geopolitical tensions between Estonia and Russia, has been met with fierce criticism from the Moscow Patriarchate, which argues it infringes on the religious freedom of approximately 250,000 Orthodox believers who are Estonian citizens.
Other Orthodox bodies, like the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, have expressed concern over the new law, emphasizing the need for dialogue and reconciliation within the Orthodox family rather than division and strife. The practical and ecclesiastical consequences of the law changes continue to unfold, with unresolved issues regarding church property, financial impacts, and the future organizational structure of the Estonian Orthodox Church post-severance. Some officials have suggested property might be nationalized or transferred back conditionally to a reorganized church structure, though these details remain unclear.
- The President's stance against the amendment against the Orthodox Church aligns with his support for the freedom of association and religion, a crucial aspect of general news and policy-and-legislation.
- The ongoing politics surrounding the changes to the draft law on churches and parishes in Estonia, particularly the amendments' potential impact on religious freedom, are a matter of concern for various Orthodox bodies and international organizations.
