Estonian Interior Ministry in favor of amending Churches, Congregations Act

TALLINN - The Estonian Ministry of the Interior supports the amendment of the Churches and Congregations Act in the Riigikogu following President Alar Karis' decision and emphasizes that the main goal of the amendment to the law, which is to exclude hostile influence activities and the use of religious organizations operating in Estonia to incite hatred or violence, has not disappeared.

Interior Minister Igor Taro said that the ministry has analyzed the reasons for not announcing the law and is in favor of opening the text of the law to amendments.

"The president did not dispute the purpose of the law in any way. We agree with the president that it is possible to create additional measures to protect national security in relation to both freedom of religion and association. Considering the head of state's proposals, we will continue to work together with the Riigikogu's constitutional and legal affairs committees and stakeholders in the field on amendments to the law," Taro added.

Although the law adopted by the Riigikogu on April 9 is, according to the Ministry of the Interior, in line with the Constitution, Taro said that, based on the president's reasoning, attention is to be paid to the use of the term "guided by" and to establishing legal clarity around it. It is also planned to supplement the explanatory memorandum with the justifications for the constitutionality and proportionality of the proposed amendments to the law. More specific changes will be clarified during the discussions.

"Freedom of religion and association go hand in hand with security and constitutional order. The expectation of society and the position of the majority in parliament have been clear -- religious associations operating in Estonia cannot have any cross-border connections not subject to Estonian law with an aggressor state or an organization that supports it," Taro said.

He promised that, together with the Riigikogu committees and the Office of the President, further work will be done to make this even clearer at the legal level.