Minister: A church in Estonia must not be connected with an organization that supports war | News

Läänemets made a political statement in front of the Riigikogu on Wednesday.

He said the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (MPEÕK) has not made enough progress in ending its relationship with the Kremlin.

He then called for the law to be changed to stop the operations of organizations that pose “a threat to public or constitutional order in Estonia, supports military aggression or calls for war or calls for terrorism or violent behavior in any way.”

“In summary, the purpose of the draft amendment to the Churches and Congregations Act is to prevent the activities of any religious organization that contradicts universally recognized principles of international law, or the establishment of such organizations in the future, within the Republic of Estonia,” he told members of the Riigikogu.

Läänemets added that it must also be unequivocally ruled out that a member of the board and clergy of a church, congregation, nunnery and other religious association would be a person who has either proven or justified grounds to suspect activities against the Estonian state.

“A religious organization operating in Estonia cannot be led remotely by a person whose actions may pose a threat to public order or security. For example, this includes individuals who are not permitted to enter or reside in the country,” the minister said.

“With the legal amendment, Estonia clearly states that freedom of religion must align with the constitutional order, and religious leaders must operate within the Estonian legal framework. Those who do not meet or refuse to comply with these criteria will have no place in Estonia’s religious life,” the SDE chairman told MPs.

While this currently applies to MPEÕK and its leader, it would cover all local religious organizations in the future.

“Throughout this process, I want to emphasize that, in drafting this bill, we have ensured that all religious associations and organizations currently operating in Estonia — whether a church, congregation, or monastery — will have the opportunity, if necessary, to bring their activities into compliance with the law and continue their operations in the future. The state’s goal is to ensure religious peace for the Orthodox community here and to allow them to continue practicing their religious rites. Our intention is certainly not to shut down the activities of any congregation or monastery,” said Läänemets.

The minister said the government’s desire is to end the influence of the Moscow Patriarchate in Estonia and also in the future to exclude situations in which religious organizations that pose a security threat due to their leaders or state or non-state forces that control them could gain a foothold in Estonia.

“The legal amendment does not dictate the future canonical relationship or teachings of the Estonian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate. These decisions are for the church to make independently. With the law, we are simply establishing clear rules and expectations that any religious association operating in Estonia must meet. These rules apply equally to everyone, and within this framework, the church will be able to make its own decisions moving forward,” he said.

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