In Estonia, a campaign against "everything Russian" continues, and now the authorities have moved to property repressions. The first to suffer was the local Orthodox church - the country's largest Christian community may find itself in a marginal position. RIA Novosti reports on how these actions square with pan-European values.
The dispute between the Tallinn city government and the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOCMP) lasted two and a half years. The subject of the disagreement was several administrative and utility premises at 64 Pikk Street. In fact, the church had used them for two centuries - since the appearance of the Revel (Tallinn) diocese in the Russian Empire. In the 1990s, after Estonia gained independence, the city authorities concluded an open-ended lease agreement with the EOCMP. However, in spring 2024 the agreement was terminated without explanation.
"The city acted lawfully when terminating the agreement... Now we look to the future, and the district administration will do everything in its power to rent these premises out again as soon as possible," said Tallinn Mayor Peeter Raudsepp.
The church filed cassation appeals twice - in summer 2025 and in 2026 - but unsuccessfully. The case reached the Supreme Court, which found no legal grounds for consideration. That decision is not subject to appeal. The broadcaster ERR reported that the deadlines for vacating the premises have already been agreed.
In June, amendments to the law "On Churches and Congregations" were submitted to the Supreme Court. It was to determine whether they contradict the constitution. The innovations provide that if a religious organization is managed by a foreign person and poses a threat to national security, it should be banned or at least have its doctrine changed. Estonian President Alar Karis refused to sign the document, fearing consequences, but under current rules he can say "no" only three times, after which the highest judicial instance takes over. The Supreme Court ruled by majority that the amendments "can be interpreted" in such a way as not to violate the principle of freedom of religion. At the same time, six judges, including the chairman, expressed a dissenting opinion.
"The law contained one very controversial proposal - that a religious association (church, congregation) cannot be linked on the basis of its statute <...> with a spiritual center located in a foreign state <...> which poses a threat to Estonia's security," explained Supreme Court head Villu Kove.
In other words, parliament planted a time bomb - the basis for a religious conflict. But both the deputies and the government believe they are acting in the interests of the state and society. The EOCMP, at the authorities' demand, condemned the SMO back in 2022, but, as it turned out, that was not enough.
In 2024, the head of the church, Metropolitan Eugene of Tallinn (Reshetnikov), was not granted a residence permit and was expelled from the country - because "he threatens national security." His residence is also at 64 Pikk Street, but since the hierarch is banned from entering the country, the residence is not needed either.
All this time the church sought a compromise. When officials began criticizing the statute, all hints of "ties with Moscow" were removed from it, leaving only a reference to the 1993 tomos - the charter of Patriarch Alexy II under which the EOCMP received self-governing status. But the Interior Ministry demanded that this be struck out as well. Then, not without difficulties, the name was changed: the first version had the epithet "apostolic," but such a church already exists in the country - the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAOC) of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. In the end they settled on "Christian."
It is curious that while the long process of approving the new title was under way, the pro-Constantinople EAOC proposed an easier way - simply merging into one structure. In other words, committing a canonical crime and starting a schism.
Having exhausted all legal remedies within the country, the EOCMP filed a complaint with the ECHR.
"If we proceed from the state's wish, <...> then we must break <...> religious ties with the church (the Russian Orthodox Church - ed.), which is already a thousand years old. And the state cannot impose such an obligation, it cannot interfere in religious life. <...> That is what we are complaining about," lawyer Artur Knyazev, who represents the EOCMP's interests, explained in an interview.
The state's demand, he added, implies not only breaking administrative ties with Moscow but also ceasing canonical communion. And that is a serious blow to the religious identity of Orthodox believers in Estonia.
Clergy representatives hoped that during the ECHR's consideration of the complaint the authorities would pause. However, Interior Minister Igor Taro proposed terminating the agreement with the EOCMP on the free lease of the Cathedral of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky in Tallinn. The authorities are ready to open a museum there or sell and even demolish the church.
"Any interference in the fate of such an object must be carried out exclusively within the framework of the law. If the cathedral has the status of a cultural heritage object, its dismantling will require compliance with a whole set of administrative procedures, the conduct of necessary expert assessments and obtaining permits from authorized bodies," lawyer Elizaveta Metkina warns.
On the whole, notes religious scholar Roman Lunkin, what is happening in Estonia is consistent with pan-European policy in recent years. The population is frightened with external threats, urged to finance Ukraine more actively and increase the military budget. The spiritual sphere is treated accordingly.
"In this sense, the Baltic countries - Estonia in particular - have become the locomotive of the EU's radical anti-Russian campaign," the expert says. "On the one hand, discrimination against the church accompanies the political ambitions of official Tallinn. On the other, a considerable role is played by the authorities' personal desire to get rid of Russian Orthodoxy - a very powerful factor - and important religious symbols, such as Alexander Nevsky Cathedral."
Now, the religious scholar concludes, the authorities are occupied with pressing opportunistic issues - building a nation-state and ensuring security. But it is not excluded that a time will come when they will have to answer for more fundamental mistakes with especially grave consequences.