Estonian President Alar Karis has refused to ratify controversial amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act, which critics say could have led to the banning of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (EOC-MP).

The amendments, approved by the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) on April 9, would have required the EOC-MP to sever ties with the Moscow Patriarchate or face legal dissolution by the Ministry of the Interior. President Karis, however, cited constitutional concerns in rejecting the legislation.

According to Karis, the amendments violate several articles of Estonia’s Constitution — specifically articles 11, 40, and 48 — which protect the rights to freedom of association and religion. “Existing laws already provide sufficient tools to monitor religious organizations when national security is at risk,” Karis said in a public statement, sending the bill back to parliament for reconsideration.

The legislation aimed to curb what some lawmakers described as "hostile foreign influence" within Estonian religious institutions. Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets defended the need for such measures, saying that Estonia cannot allow "hostile regimes and organizations that support aggression" to lead religious communities in the country. He added that the bill could be revised to comply with constitutional norms.

President Karis warned that an outright ban on foreign affiliations without a clear legal basis could set a dangerous precedent affecting not only religious institutions but also political and civic organizations.

For now, the proposed law remains suspended, pending further parliamentary debate and possible revision.