The clergy believes that the charges against Metropolitan Eugen can be considered arbitrary and only politically motivated. “According to the Constitution, the Republic of Estonia does not have the competence to prescribe to church leaders what political or social opinions they must express or, if they are not clearly prohibited by law, not express,” they wrote.
They also emphasized that, in their opinion, Metropolitan Eugen is not accused of any wrongdoing, but rather of insufficient acceptance and expression of the government’s political views, adding that everyone has the constitutional right to remain true to their opinions and beliefs.
Likewise, according to the clergy, the Republic of Estonia has no right to interfere in the organization of relations between churches belonging to the field of canon law. “The constitutional principle ‘There is no state church’ obliges the state to treat all churches and other religious associations neutrally, among other things in a political sense,” they write.
The decision taken against Metropolitan Eugen leaves the clergy with the impression of a demand for the implementation of mind control, which contradicts the principles contained in the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Even with the nature of the rule of law, according to which no one can be found guilty of anything without a corresponding sentence.
They also accuse Interior Minister Lauri Läänemetsa that, by requiring a church operating under the laws of the Republic of Estonia to elect a new leader with views suited to political power, he intensively interferes in the internal affairs of the church. “Such behavior is characteristic of authoritarian regimes,” he wrote.
Here the clergy brings out what was said in Lauri Läänemetsa’s press conference: “However, the Church will have the opportunity to find a new leader who shares our values and breathes at the same pace as the rest of Estonian society.”
Even in 1939 the clergy remembered and drew parallels. with the year in which the authoritarian regime of Konstantin Päts forced the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church to elect a new bishop, because the previous one had fallen out of favor and the government suspended the activity of both him and the governing bodies of the church.
“In our opinion, such behavior does not belong to the usual space of liberal democracy and the rule of law. We are deeply disturbed by the prospect that in the future the Estonian state will demand political loyalty and loyalty to values and beliefs from churches and congregations. opinions of the government currently in power,” the clerics wrote.
The Police and Border Guard Council announced on January 18 that it will not extend the residence permit of the head of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Eugen, civil name Valeri Rešetnikov, and that he will have to leave Estonia by January 6 February. The decision was based on the fact that Metropolitan Eugen’s actions pose a threat to the country’s security. “The state decided to refuse the extension of the residence permit, because Reshetnikov supports the attacker in his public activities and speeches and, despite previous warnings, he has not changed his behavior,” explained Indrek Aru, head of the Northern Prefectural Border Guard Office. .
Comment Read comments (11)
2024-01-24 16:02:12
the-eelk-clergy-calls-for-the-extension-of-metropolitan-eugens-residence-permit