Doc. 9676

    25 January 2003

    Situation of the Orthodox Church believers in Estonia

    Written Question No 399

    Reply from the Committee of Ministers

    adopted at the 825th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (22 January 2003)

    I. Written Question No 399 by Mr Rogozin (Doc. 9242)

          To ask the Committee of Ministers

          What measures it intends to undertake to invite the Republic of Estonia:

    -       to amend the law on churches and parishes in order to make it non-discriminatory towards the various churches and to take practical steps to ensure respect for the religious rights of all national groups living in Estonia;

    -       to solve the issue of registration of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchy in the spirit of respect of the rights of believers.

    II. Reply by the Committee of Ministers

    With regard to Written question No. 399 by Mr Rogozin, related to the situation of the Orthodox Church believers in Estonia, the Committee of Ministers noted with satisfaction that:

    1.        On 17 April 2002, the Ministry of Interior registered the statute of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, ending a nine-year dispute over the church's status started in 1993, when the Estonian government registered the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

    2.        Under the Churches and Congregations Act, passed on 12 February 2002, and which entered into force on 1 July 2002, responsibility for registering religious organisations that choose to seek legal status has been transferred from the Interior Ministry's Department for Religious Affairs to the local courts. The fact that the registration of religious organisations is now handled by a judicial rather than an executive authority makes the procedures more neutral.

    3.        On 29 August 2002, a provisional agreement has been reached between the Estonian Interior Ministry and both the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church and the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to share the use of existing church property.