Estonian authorities threaten to dissolve Church within six months

Tallinn’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Photo: ERR News

Estonian authorities have threatened to dissolve the Estonian Orthodox Church within six months. The Ministry of the Interior has set a deadline of December 28, 2026, for the Church to meet a series of ultimatum-like demands, including a change of leadership. ERR News reports.

The move is based on amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act, which entered into force on June 27. The new provisions explicitly prohibit religious associations in Estonia from being subordinate to foreign centers or leaders whose activities are deemed by the authorities to pose a threat to national security.

State Secretary of the Interior Ministry Tarmo Miilits sent an official notice to all congregations, stressing that failure to comply with the law would allow the interior minister to initiate court proceedings to dissolve the Church. In addition to severing ties with the ROC, the EPC is required to decide on the appointment of a new leader.

In a response letter to the ministry, Bishop Daniil said that within the allotted period, the Church intends to clarify the mechanisms for implementing the legislative changes. Only after that does the Estonian Church plan to make a final decision on how church life will be organized in the future.

Earlier, the Church in Estonia responded to accusations that it posed a threat to the constitutional order, rejecting claims that its activities were coordinated by the Moscow Patriarchate and emphasizing its full administrative independence. The Church also confirmed its readiness for constructive dialogue with Estonian state bodies to resolve the issues that have arisen.

As the UOJ reported, the Estonian Church may appeal to the ECHR over the anti-church law.

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