The Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (MPEÕK) has removed references to the Moscow Patriarchate from its statutes and wishes to adopt the new name of the Estonian Orthodox Church. Commenting on the proposed name change, MPEÕK Vicar Bishop Daniel noted that this name is already included in the 1993 tomos issued by Patriarch Alexy.

"This is still an Estonian structure, and the name change emphasizes that it is a church structure located in Estonia," Daniel said.

However, Minister of the Interior Lauri Läänemets (SDE) considers it unlikely that the church will be able to adopt this name, as the names of the two Orthodox churches operating in Estonia would be too similar.

"In the Republic of Estonia, the law clearly states that a name cannot be misleading. Such a name would imply that this is the only Orthodox Church in Estonia," Läänemets commented.

The MPEÕK has not yet submitted its statute amendments to the Ministry of the Interior, and the minister could not say whether they would align with national security interests. According to the minister, the connection to Moscow is evident because the statute must be approved by the Russian Patriarch Kirill.

"They cannot change their statute here in Estonia without Moscow's approval and support. Of course, the fact that Metropolitan Eugene, who was expelled from Estonia, led this meeting also illustrates their subordination to Moscow," Läänemets added.

"Since we are still an autonomous structure, certain canonical ties will inevitably remain," said Bishop Daniel. "We discussed this at the meeting with the Ministry of the Interior; these ties cannot be severed, as doing so would place us in a canonical gray area."

The Ministry of the Interior believes it would be beneficial to have a single Orthodox Church in Estonia. However, Bishop Daniel acknowledged that negotiations between the two churches are complicated due to strained relations since the 1990s.

"The idea does not inspire enthusiasm on our part, as the unresolved issues from back then remain, unfortunately, on our side," he said.

Mattias Palli, the chief vicar of the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church, stated that they have offered the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate the opportunity to join as a separate unit.

"Throughout the years, our relations have not always been easy, and trust and common ground would need to be built gradually if there is a desire for it. However, we are not eager to close the door before anyone has even knocked," Palli said.

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