
President Alar Karis ei kuulutanud välja kirikute ja koguduste seaduse muutust
President Alar Karis Did Not Proclaim the Amendment to the Law on Churches and Congregations
President Alar Karis otsustas mitte kuulutada välja uut kirikute ja koguduste seadust, sest see ei ole kooskõlas Eesti põhiseadusega.
President Alar Karis decided not to proclaim the new law on churches and congregations because it is not in accordance with the Estonian constitution.
President Alar Karis on Thursday refrained from proclaiming the new law on churches and congregations. He found that it is not in accordance with the Estonian constitution. The president said that there are several problems with the law. It overly restricts people's freedom to believe and to join associations. He said that the law could also lead to legal disputes.
The president also talked about how Estonian laws already require the monitoring of religious associations. He said that existing laws should be used more effectively. The president also referred to the penal code, which prohibits treason. This also includes hostile activities and the spreading of misinformation.
President Alar Karis said that the new law is too vague. He said that the banning of associations should not depend solely on the influence of some foreign individual. He found that such a law is not suitable for a democratic society. The president recommended that the Supreme Court revisit and amend the law.
Presidential legal advisor Hent Kalmo said that the biggest problem with the law is its vague wording. He talked about how the law uses the word 'to be guided', which is too loosely defined. Kalmo said that a better formulated law could have been approved by the president.
Interior Minister Igor Taro said that the issue of churches and congregations remains on the agenda. He said that in Estonia it cannot be allowed for religious associations to be led by hostile regimes. Taro said that this is an important principle that needs to be addressed.