The Estonian Church Has Appealed the Termination of the Lease of Its Chancellery in Tallinn

The Estonian Christian Orthodox Church has filed a cassation appeal with the State Court of Estonia, contesting the termination of the lease agreement for its chancellery in Tallinn, reports Delfi.

The matter concerns city-owned premises at 64 Pikk Street, where the chancellery of the Metropolitan of Tallinn and All Estonia is located. Tallinn City Council deputies Sander Andla and Henri Arras sent a query to the mayor to find out whether the Church continues to use the building and what measures the municipal authorities intend to take.

Previously, the Harju County Court ruled lawful the decision of the Kesklinn district administration to terminate the lease agreement. In June, the Tallinn Circuit Court upheld that ruling. City authority representatives subsequently stated that they expected the premises to be returned to the municipality.

The Estonian Christian Orthodox Church exercised its statutory right to further appeal and applied to the country's highest judicial instance. Pending the consideration of the cassation appeal, the chancellery continues to occupy the premises at 64 Pikk Street.

The appeal was received by the State Court on Monday. At the time of publication, the date for the commencement of its consideration had not yet been set.

The Union of Orthodox Journalists previously reported that the Estonian Church may apply to the ECHR over an anti-church law.

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