The Riigikogu adopted the Churches and Congregations Act on April 9, 2025. The President did not proclaim this law on April 24, 2025.
The Riigikogu amended the law and readopted it on June 18, 2025. The President again left it unproclaimed on July 3, 2025. The President recommended reconsidering and amending the law.
The Riigikogu readopted the law unchanged on September 17, 2025. The President submitted an application to the Supreme Court on October 3, 2025. The application sought to declare the law unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court panel had dissenting opinions regarding the President's application. In February 2026, the case was transferred to the en banc session. The en banc includes all Supreme Court justices.
The amendment aims to ensure that religious organizations are not used to incite hatred or violence. The law primarily concerns the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church. This church must separate from the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Security Police annual report stated that the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church appears independent but is still governed by the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian Church cooperates with Russian power structures.
In 2025, six clergy members of the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church were denied entry to Estonia due to security concerns. In 2026, one clergy member was denied entry.