The Estonian authorities do not intend to close Orthodox churches in the country in connection with plans to remove the mention of the Moscow Patriarchate from the name of the Estonian Orthodox Church (EOC). This was stated by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Baltic Republic Lauri Leaenemets at a government press conference.
"We confirm that all churches in Estonia will remain open anyway, no one wants to close them, and people should be able to devote themselves to their faith," said Leaenemets.
On August 20, the Estonian Orthodox Church approved a new version of the charter, removing the mention of the Moscow Patriarchate from the title.
May 6 Riigikogu (Parliament) Estonia has declared the Russian Orthodox Church an institution supporting Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. On May 16, the Interior Minister of the Baltic Republic said that he expects the rupture of relations between the EPC and the Russian Orthodox Church and the recognition of the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate as heresy. Vladimir Legoida, head of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Church-Society and Media Relations, in response to the decision of the Riigikogu, warned that the Estonian Interior Ministry intends to destroy the EPC and drive believers into the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.