The Estonian Parliament, the Riigikogu, has passed a controversial bill that could lead to the dissolution of the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (ECHC), previously part of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate. The amendments to the law concerning churches and congregations were approved by 60 MPs, with 13 voting against and 16 abstaining, according to ERR.

The new legislation requires the ECHC to amend its constitution and sever ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. If the church fails to comply, the Estonian Ministry of the Interior will have the legal grounds to request a court order to dissolve any associated legal entities, such as parishes and monasteries. The law will come into effect as soon as it is signed by the Estonian president. Religious organizations will then have two months to bring their statutes into compliance with the new legislation.

Interior Minister Igor Taro stated that the purpose of the law is to protect Estonian believers from "hostile influence" and to prevent religious structures from being used for the benefit of foreign powers. According to Taro, a court could decide on the potential closure of the church if negotiations do not result in changes. He added that previous talks with the leadership of the ECHC and the Pühtitsa Convent had not yielded any results.

Taro emphasized that removing references to the Moscow Patriarchate in the church’s name is merely a superficial change, as the church's constitution still subordinates the organization to Moscow. "This is a problem because it places the decisions of the church’s leadership under the influence of Moscow," Taro remarked.

The Estonian government has expressed dissatisfaction with the stance of the Russian Orthodox Church regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In April 2023, the Estonian Minister of the Interior proposed labeling the Russian Orthodox Church a terrorist organization and banning it. Following that, the ministry demanded changes to the constitution of the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church. In August 2024, the ECHC adopted a revised constitution, removing the mention of the Moscow Patriarchate from its name.

The latest legislation marks a significant escalation in tensions between Estonia and the Russian Orthodox Church, and it underscores the broader geopolitical context surrounding the church’s role in Estonia and the influence of external powers on religious institutions.