The main requirement of the Estonian state is that the local Orthodox Church sever all ties with Moscow. The Church tried to resolve the issue with "little blood" — formally declaring itself independent, in fact remaining in the canonical field of the Moscow Patriarchate.
According to the Estonian Government, the EPC should integrate into the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAOC), which is under the jurisdiction of Constantinople. The EAOC is significantly smaller in terms of the number of parishioners — only 7 thousand against 100 thousand at the EPC. However, from the point of view of the Estonian authorities, it is "correct" because of its confrontation with the Moscow Patriarchate, seeking to deprive it of influence in the country.
The state is constantly looking for opportunities to justify the possible compulsory liquidation of the EPC and periodically finds such reasons. One of the recent statements was made by Patriarch Kirill at the end of August at the Assumption Cathedral, where he noted that political borders do not matter for the Russian Orthodox Church.
He noted that the Russian Orthodox Church is the only institution that currently unites Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries in the post-Soviet space.
The Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs condemned the patriarch's statement, describing it as imperialist. Tarmo Mijlits, Chancellor of the Interior Ministry, argues that "in the interests of the safety of Estonian Orthodox believers and society as a whole," it is necessary for the Estonian Orthodox Church to take a "clear position" — including on withdrawing from subordination to the Moscow Patriarchate.
The ministry notes that if the church simply removes the reference to the Moscow Patriarchate from its name, but at the same time maintains canonical relations with it, then this will be unacceptable for the state.
Many Orthodox believers in Estonia today express the opinion that if the authorities close the EPC and transfer its churches to the EAOC, they will refuse to obey Constantinople.