Estonian parliament slams Moscow Orthodox church backing Russian aggression

The Riigikogu on Monday passed a statement condemning the actions of the Moscow-based Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), or Moscow Patriarchate, in justifying and supporting Russia's aggression against Ukraine and declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an institution sponsoring Russia's military aggression.
The 101-seat Riigikogu voted 75-8 in favor of passing the Riigikogu statement "On Declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an Institution Sponsoring the Military Aggression of the Russian Federation" (420 AE); there were no abstentions or impartial votes, the Riigikogu reported.
In its statement, the Riigikogu strongly condemned the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine and the unlawful annexation of the territory conquered in the course of this aggression, noting that Russian leader Vladimir Putin's terrorist regime with its nuclear threats has become the key menace to peace in Europe as well as worldwide.
"Ever since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus has expressed his public support to the act of aggression of the terrorist regime of the Russian Federation," the Riigikogu statement reads, referring to the head of the ROC.
"The leaders of the Moscow Patriarchate and Patriarch Kirill are using the 'Russian World' ideology as a tool to promote the war; it is being utilized to destroy the last manifestations of Russian democracy, militarize Russian society and justify the aggression in order to expand the Russian Federation to all of the territories dominated by it in the past, including Ukraine," the statement continued.
According to the Riigikogu statement, the policy document "Present and Future of the Russian World" adopted by the World Russian People's Council – which has been established under the auspices of the ROC and is led by the Moscow patriarch – describes the war of aggression in Ukraine as a holy war both against Ukraine and the entire West, and also views a wider expanse of territories than the former Russian Empire as part of the Russian Federation's sphere of influence.
"The calls of the Moscow Patriarchate contain an inherent danger to Estonia's security and survival, including a direct threat to the public and constitutional order in Estonia," the statement emphasizes.
In the statement passed Monday, the Riigikogu defines Estonia as a democratic state that stands for religious freedom, noting that the state must also ensure everyone's freedom to choose what religion to follow.
"In the world today, the state also needs to protect people from terrorist and other hostile propaganda as well as incitements to violence," it continues. "Protection from such propaganda also applies to Orthodox residents of Estonia, regardless of their language, ethnicity or canonical association."
The statement expresses disgust for the abuse and distortion of the tradition of religion and orthodoxy by the Moscow Patriarchate and the current regime in Moscow. "In light of the actions of the Moscow Patriarchate thus far, there is a persistent threat of people being influenced in this pseudo-religious context," it warns.
In its statement, the Riigikogu affirms its repudiation of the actions of the Moscow Patriarchate as an institution that justifies and supports the aggression of the Russian Federation and feels justified in declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an institution sponsoring Russia's military aggression.
It also calls on all states and the international community to suppress the Moscow Patriarchate's hostile influencing activities.
The Riigikogu also emphasizes that declaring the Moscow Patriarchate an institution sponsoring Russia's military aggression concerns the Moscow Patriarchate as an institution and an executive body, not the people who follow Orthodox traditions.
"Orthodox associations and congregations should also carry out their own assessments of the threat to public order and to their members caused by hostile influencing activities, and take the necessary steps to cut ties with the Moscow Patriarchate," the statement urges. "The Republic of Estonia must preserve the constitutional right to religious freedom, with full consideration for the rights and freedoms of everyone living here."
Two separate Orthodox churches exist in Estonia today. The Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (MPEÕK) is distinct from the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAÕK), an Orthodox church under the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and the legal continuation of the Estonian Orthodox Church (EÕK).
Center Party: Statement deepens division in Estonian society
Center Party MPs did not back the Riigikogu's statement as concerns the activities of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate as they believe it works to restrict the religious freedom of 150,000 people and will lead to an escalation of social tensions, faction chair Lauri Laats said.
"We condemn Patriarch Kirill's statements in support of the war and consider his words regrettable. The Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has said that it also doesn't condone the patriarch's statement of holy war and the West being under the sway of satanism, or the 'Russian World' idea. Statements of a holy war and annexing Ukraine to Russia are unacceptable," Laats noted.
"At the same time, we find that the statement passed in the Riigikogu is not helping the situation but will only deepen social fissures. Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets (SDE) wants to end the activities of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in Estonia if it does not cut ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. The situation calls for efforts to find balance and consensus, while the government is rushing into a power play instead," Laats said.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla