Estonian President Karis declines the determination to prohibit the Estonian Orthodox Church.
Alar Karis, the Estonian President, has boldly rejected an amendment to the law on churches and parishes that aimed to ban the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOC MP). The catchy details are courtesy of ERR.
Karis made his stance clear when he pointed out that a comprehensive ban on foreign relations could ignite legal issues and lead to a worrying scenario where the liberties of every association, including political parties, might also be curtailed.
The politician's argument emphasized that the strict restrictions on foreign connections would infringe upon the constitutional rights of freedom of association and religion (as outlined by Articles 40, 48, and 11) and could potentially lead to a series of legal disputes.
Karis acknowledged the Moscow Patriarchate's questionable role in undermining sovereignty and democracy in some nations, yet he expressed concerns about the current law's problematic wording. He warned that the vague ban on foreign ties could have far-reaching consequences, possibly impacting other associations, including political parties, and potentially curtailing their freedoms as well.
He further highlighted that Estonia already boasts an array of legal tools to tackle security threats arising from foreign influence, such as the Penal Code's provisions addressing treason, hostile influence operations, and support for acts of aggression. Karis's suggestion was to focus more on vigorously enforcing these existing measures instead of introducing new, overly restrictive legislation.
The potential implications for political parties in Estonia arise from the law's ambiguous language on foreign influence. Karis expressed worries that the law's prohibition on foreign control might be broadly interpreted, potentially leading to limitations on political parties with international ties or influences, thereby affecting their operations and potentially sparking legal challenges.
In essence:
- Karis's reasons for the rejection:
- The law infringes upon constitutional protections of freedom of religion and association.
- The wording is unclear and excessively restrictive.
- Existing legislation is sufficient to ensure national security.
- Concerns over broader implications for other associations' freedoms, including political parties.
- Potential impacts on political parties:
- They might experience similar restrictions on foreign ties.
- The consequences could lead to legal disputes and curtailments on their activities.
- Risk of limiting democratic freedoms beyond the intended scope of targeting religious organizations.
The Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate expressed gratitude towards Karis for his firm stand, hoping for continuous dialogue with the authorities, as the church believes its canonical ties do not pose a threat to Estonia’s national security.
The president, Alar Karis, rejected an amendment to the law on churches and parishes due to concerns that a ban on the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOC MP) could infringe upon constitutional rights of freedom of association and religion. Additionally, Karis highlighted that the law's ambiguous language on foreign influence may also have potential implications for political parties, with the risk of similar restrictions on foreign ties leading to potential legal disputes and curtailments on their activities. Karis suggested focusing on enforcing existing legislation for national security, as there are already legal tools such as the Penal Code's provisions addressing treason, hostile influence operations, and support for acts of aggression. Lastly, the EOC expressed gratitude towards Karis, hoping for continuous dialogue with the authorities, as they believe their canonical ties do not pose a threat to Estonia's national security.
