Interior minister: Moscow Patriarchate's influence still a threat to Estonia's security
President Alar Karis's decision not to promulgate the Churches and Congregations Act for a second time inevitably leads to the conclusion that the Head of State considers it to be an unnecessary law, according to Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200).
President Alar Karis's decision not to promulgate the Churches and Congregations Act for a second time inevitably leads to the conclusion that the Head of State considers it to be an unnecessary law, according to Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200).
"The purpose of the amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act is to protect Estonia's security and freedom of religion, and they do not in themselves entail the banning of Orthodoxy or any other religion," said Minister of the Interior Igor Taro (Eesti 200).
"The amendments has to rule out a situation whereby the justification, defense and blessing of Russia's war of aggression - which is characteristic of the Moscow Patriarchate – would affect the activities of believers here and endanger the security of other Estonian residents."
The Minister of the Interior recalled President Karis' words from April 24 this year, when he first refused to promulgate the Churches and Congregations Act, that "the Moscow Patriarchate undermines the sovereignty and democracy of states."
"President Karis then also provided instructions on how the law could comply with the Constitution. On that basis, the Ministry of the Interior submitted its proposals to the Riigikogu, after which, the Riigikogu adopted the law as amended."
"President Karis's second decision not to promulgate the law inevitably leads to the conclusion that the Head of State considers it an unnecessary law. As interior minister, I disagree with that, which means that we must once again look for constitutional ways to protect our religious community from aggressive Russian influence, an integral part of which is the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate's undisguised support for the war of conquest and war crimes," said Taro.
Following the president's new veto, the Ministry of the Interior will now consult the Riigikogu's Legal Affairs Committee, which can propose to the plenary to adopt the law as it stands or amend the text once again, in line with the president's decision.
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Editor: Urmet Kook, Michael Cole
