Russian ambassador accuses Czech govt of trying to expel ROC from country

A church in the Czech Republic. Photo: CTK

Ambassador for special assignments of the Russian Foreign Ministry Gennady Askaldovich said in an interview with RIA Novosti that the Czech government is taking illegal, in the opinion of the Ambassador, actions to expel the ROC from the territory of the country. According to the diplomat, what is happening in the Czech Republic can be called “harassment” against the ROC and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.

Askaldovich highlighted the problems faced by the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary. Fr Nicholas, the rector of the church, was deprived of his Czech residence permit, which led to the suspension of the work of a number of parishes. At the same time, according to the ambassador, the Czech authorities did not present any specific grounds for this decision.

As previously reported, in August 2024, the security committee of the Upper House of the Czech Parliament called on the government to conduct an inspection of the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. This is due to suspicions of expanding Russian influence through church structures.

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