According to Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee Madis Timpson, the committee received suggested nine amendments by the required deadline, four of which were put forward by the Center Party 's Riigikogu group and five by the Legal Affairs Committee itself on the basis of proposals made by the Ministry of the Interior.

"The committee decided to remove the reference to a person with significant influence abroad, which the President considered to be too broad. The committee also supported the proposal of the Center Party's Riigikogu group to extend the transitional period from two to six months," Timpson said. "I believe that the text of this bill is now better than the original."

According to the committee's proposal, the wording of the law will be amended so that a church, congregation, association of congregations or monastery may not, on the basis of its statutes or other documents on which it is based, or on the basis of its economic activities, be affiliated with a spiritual center, governing body, religious community or spiritual leader in a foreign country that poses a threat to the security of the Estonian state or to constitutional or public order.

The amendment removes the statement prohibiting a religious community to be guided by a person or association with significant influence abroad which poses a threat to the security of the Estonian state or to constitutional or public order.

The committee also provided greater clarity on what is considered a potential risk. According to the expanded version of that section of the bill, a threat to the security of the Estonian state or to constitutional or public order may arise, inter alia, if a religious center, governing body, religious association or clerical leader incites, supports or finances activities aimed at violently subverting Estonia's independence, territorial integrity or constitutional order, supports or has supported military aggression or incites war, terrorist crimes or otherwise unlawful use of armed force or violence.

The phrase "incites, supports or finances activities aimed at violently subverting the independence, territorial integrity or constitutional order of the Republic of Estonia" has been added.

Timpson said that providing security is a core function of the state and the amendments do not restrict anyone's freedom of religion. "The amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act do not ban any religion in Estonia, nor do they terminate the activities of any church, congregation, monastery or association of congregations," he said.

After listening to comments from advisers to the Ministry of the Interior, the committee decided to send the bill, with the new amendments, to a second reading in a plenary session on June 11. If the bill passes the second reading, its third reading will take place in plenary on June 19, as per the committee's proposal.

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