On June 17, 2025, the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) approved a revised version of the amendment to the Law on Churches and Congregations, a move that essentially mandates the severance of ties between the Orthodox Church in Estonia and the Moscow Patriarchate.
This decision follows President Alar Karis’s refusal to ratify the original law on April 24, citing concerns that certain restrictions imposed on religious freedom and freedom of association were unconstitutional. The President requested that the law be reviewed to ensure full compatibility with the Estonian Constitution.
On May 14, the Riigikogu Plenary decided not to adopt the law in its original form but to proceed with amendments. After further debate, Parliament passed the revised law with 68 votes in favor and 17 against.
Under the new legislation, the Estonian Orthodox Church (formerly known as the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) and the Pühtitsa Convent—which remain administratively under the Moscow Patriarchate’s jurisdiction—will be required to sever their relations with Moscow within six months, extending the initial two-month deadline set in the original bill.
The amendments, proposed by the responsible parliamentary committee, stipulate that a church, congregation, association of congregations, monastery, or convent in Estonia may not be organizationally or financially linked—via their statutes, liturgical documents, or other governing documents—to any foreign religious center, administrative body, religious community, or spiritual leader that poses a threat to Estonia’s national security, constitutional order, or public safety.
The Parliament further clarified what constitutes such a threat. According to the revised wording, a threat exists if a foreign religious entity incites, supports, or finances activities aimed at undermining Estonia’s independence, territorial integrity, or constitutional order; supports or has supported military aggression; or calls for war, terrorism, unlawful use of armed force, or any form of violence.
Notably, the phrase “incites, supports, or finances activities aimed at the independence, territorial integrity, or constitutional order of the Republic of Estonia” was explicitly added to the law’s text.
The explanatory memorandum emphasizes Estonia’s firm commitment to protecting freedom of religion and the right of individuals to choose their faith freely, while acknowledging the state’s responsibility to address challenges that threaten national security and societal safety.
Additionally, the law defines who may serve as clergy or hold leadership positions within religious organizations in Estonia. Persons prohibited from residing or staying in the country are barred from these roles.
The legislation also sets specific requirements for the statutes of religious organizations and introduces a new mechanism allowing members to leave a church whose activities, statutes, or leadership do not comply with the updated legal requirements. Religious organizations will be permitted to amend their statutes to align with the law without needing approval from their leadership bodies, recognizing that obtaining such approval may not always be feasible.
This law marks a significant development in Estonia’s regulation of religious institutions, balancing the protection of religious freedoms with the safeguarding of national security and constitutional order.
Source: eer.ee / Editor: Marko Tooming
